undermine
Americanverb (used with object)
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to injure or destroy by insidious activity or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden dramatic effect.
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to attack by indirect, secret, or underhand means; attempt to subvert by stealth.
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to make an excavation under; dig or tunnel beneath, as a military stronghold.
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to weaken or cause to collapse by removing underlying support, as by digging away or eroding the foundation.
verb
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(of the sea, wind, etc) to wear away the bottom or base of (land, cliffs, etc)
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to weaken gradually or insidiously
their insults undermined her confidence
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to tunnel or dig beneath
Other Word Forms
- underminer noun
Etymology
Origin of undermine
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English underminen; under-, mine 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This underscores how conflicting geopolitical interests in one theater of conflict may undermine cooperation in another,” said Anne Frühauf, an analyst at consulting firm Teneo.
Now rulings by courts, the provincial government and Ottawa may undermine the sanctity of their contracts.
He went on to say the lights could become "a source of annoyance to people" and "harmful to wildlife", and added that he felt they could "undermine enjoyment of the countryside or the night sky".
From BBC
As for specific rules, we certainly support strong rules that limit manipulation, insider trading, or other forms of abuse that can undermine the integrity of these markets.
From Barron's
Higher energy prices have the potential to cause stagflation —a lethal combination of higher inflation and lower growth that would likely undermine businesses’ bottom lines.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
