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.

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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

See Examples For:

undermining

“While some progress has been achieved, including the promotion of meaningful observation within the Elections Office, Mr. Curtis has failed significantly in other core responsibilities, undermining the very principles he was appointed to uphold.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Last year, the FCC sought information on whether the major networks had gained too much leverage over local stations and whether affiliation agreements were undermining stations’ control over programming and operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

The ICC expressed concern over those withdrawals, asserting that such countries risked undermining the collective pursuit of justice.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

The secrecy in the days and weeks after the Secret Service operation in Ankara may have been, in part, to avoid undermining his public image of power.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Lawrence’s statement had the curious effect of undermining both the other witnesses, while placing his own credibility at the service of a smear of Oppenheimer.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• subversion