undermining

American  

[uhn-der-mahy-ning] / ˈʌn dərˌmaɪ nɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of injuring, attacking, or destroying something or someone indirectly or by imperceptible degrees, often leading to a dramatic collapse.

   The undermining of Scottish Gaelic as a viable language resulted not from decrees, but from a gradual weakening of independent Scottish institutions.

2. the act or process of weakening something or causing it to collapse by removing its underlying support, as by erosion.

   During the heavy rains, blocked sewers caused the flooding of the basement and the undermining of the wall by water.

3. the act of digging or tunneling underneath something, as a military stronghold.

   The siege works were now close enough to allow the undermining of some of the bastions of the fortress.

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adjective

1. weakening something or someone gradually or indirectly.

   Seating students in rows, so they cannot see each other’s faces, has an undermining effect on their engagement.

2. digging or tunneling underneath something, or removing or eroding its underlying support.

   The land along the shoreline collapsed because of undermining waves and currents.

Other Word Forms

• underminingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of undermining

First recorded in 1350–1400; undermin(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; undermin(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

In Shaffer’s play and its adaptations, Mozart never knew that Salieri was undermining him while he was alive, and his music only achieved massive popularity after he died.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

A higher-volatility regime could erode the predictable way stocks and bonds move together, undermining the typical 60/40 portfolio that bets safe-haven assets, like bonds, will rise when the stock market crashes, offsetting the losses.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

The Iran war then sharpened divisions among Gulf states and exposed the limits of U.S. protection, further undermining the accords, Gulf officials say.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

During the Six Nations, England picked up eight yellow cards, two of which combined to make Henry Arundell's 20-minute red against Scotland, undermining their efforts.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Overall, this measure ended up undermining the suffragists, because the low voter turnout suggested that women were apathetic about voting.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• subversion