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

The detention has also drawn criticism from advocates, who say it risks undermining morale among service members.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

While the evidence is mixed on whether this has increased the number of public companies, it has reduced reporting burdens without undermining transparency.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Maybe Kagan sought to prevent the majority opinion from undermining countless other state laws that restrict speech in the medical context.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

While these transactions are popular with private-equity investors, they have also attracted criticism for undermining businesses’ financial health.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

But Hodges quickly proved to be a consummate politician of the Southern progressive type, using words like “compromise” and “understanding” while adroitly undermining any real change in the status quo.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• subversion