undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn How to pronounce undermine (audio)
ˈən-dər-ˌmīn
undermined; undermining; undermines
Synonyms of undermine

transitive verb

1
: to subvert or weaken insidiously or secretly
trying to undermine his political rivals
2
: to weaken or ruin by degrees
3
: to wash away supporting material from under
4
: to excavate the earth beneath : form a mine under : sap
Choose the Right Synonym for undermine

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of undermine in a Sentence

She tried to undermine my authority by complaining about me to my boss. The events of the past year have undermined people's confidence in the government.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But would that kind of order undermine the exploration and discovery that drive their work? — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 21 Oct. 2026 Like Biden, in this cycle Lula found that a disconcerting number of his compatriots were unmoved by his calls to save democracy from those who would seek to undermine it—or didn’t buy into his rhetoric in the first place. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026 There’s a sense that doubt would be a form of disloyalty to what came before you, or that admitting a weakness undermines the confidence of the people around you. — Flavio Maluf, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Several roads near Westward Beach in Malibu are closed after additional erosion undermined the roadway and exposed a Los Angeles County water main. — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for undermine

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of undermine was in the 14th century

Rhymes for undermine

See All Rhymes for undermine

Browse Nearby Words

undermill
undermine
underminer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Undermine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undermine. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

undermine

verb
un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn How to pronounce undermine (audio)
1
: to dig out or wear away the earth beneath
undermine a wall
2
: to weaken or ruin secretly or gradually
undermine a government

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