undermined

American  

[uhn-der-mahynd, uhn-der-mahynd] / ˌʌn dərˈmaɪnd, ˈʌn dərˌmaɪnd /

adjective

1. attacked, weakened, or defeated by underhand or seemingly harmless actions or by imperceptible stages.

   Both the struggling students and the most gifted ones are receiving limited support from an undermined educational system.

2. weakened or made to collapse by removing underlying support, as by eroding or digging away the foundation.

   With the release of material from the undermined cliffs at these sites, we should have had far more sand to feed the beaches, not less.

3. deliberately weakened by an excavation or tunnel dug underneath, as by an enemy in war.

   When the town was besieged, its defenders abandoned the undermined walls and retired into the citadel.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of undermine.

Etymology

Origin of undermined

undermine ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Chief trial counsel George Cardona said the three cases demonstrate how justice is undermined when attorneys fail to confirm the accuracy of their submissions to the court.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Lai said in a Facebook post on Friday that "China's... military threats in and around the Taiwan Strait and the island chain have severely undermined regional peace and stability".

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

The judge also ruled that the Pentagon’s closure of a special area reserved for Pentagon correspondents was unlawful and undermined the court’s previous order.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Critics argued the changes undermined the organization’s journalistic mission and weakened a key instrument of U.S. global media influence.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Some provincial leaders resisted it because they believed it undermined their power.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• flawed