Showing results for "undermining"

• present participle of undermine.

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.

---

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

He said such arguments risk undermining Canada's future "right at the time when we're seen as one of the most trustworthy, reliable desirable countries to do business with - and we shouldn't mess that up".

From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026

Treating it as a problem to be solved risks undermining one of the principal advantages of American financial leadership.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

While Vance was praising a technical framework designed to facilitate a regional ceasefire, the president was threatening the total annihilation of his negotiating partners, completely undermining his vice president’s diplomatic messaging.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

Nawrocki said Kyiv's "decision to glorify the UPA is not only outrageous" but also "deeply disappointing", undermining "reconciliation" between the two nations.

From Barron's • Jun. 20, 2026

After the German surrender, he brought one more argument to the table: using the bomb on Japan would fatally compromise America’s moral and humanitarian standing, undermining any efforts to create a workable international control regime.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• subversion