UNDERMINED Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

undermined

verb

past tense of undermine

as in weakened

to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way 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.

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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.

Recent Examples of undermined Despite the tension, Humphries rejected the suggestion that the issue would have undermined the chemistry behind her Olympic gold medals. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Renewed fighting in Tigray has undermined the 2022 peace agreement that ended a two-year war, as mounting tensions between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea have raised fears of a wider conflict. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 How every single piece of every part of this is being undermined. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026 Others cite the lack of a persuasive justification for conflict, the strikes themselves and subsequent fits and starts of peacemaking as evidence that America’s global image has been undermined, as has the persuasiveness of its public claims. — Christopher Nichols, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026 Top picks Rogers sees value in consumer brands that will not be undermined by AI. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 By the end of July, Pirro moved to dismiss the case altogether, alleging that the Interior Department had delayed producing materials to prosecutors that undermined the evidentiary basis for the case. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the administration had undermined many scientific research efforts. — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2026 Even a few Republican loyalists have recoiled at the extravagant pageantry, seemingly designed to flatter Xi and awe a domestic audience, although the absence of TV cameras at the Rose Garden ceremony undermined that low-ambition objective. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermined

Verb

Economist Thomas Philippon calculates that weakened competition costs the typical household about $300 a month.

— Christopher Marquis, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
The Houthis are the crown jewel in this network, given how much Hezbollah has been weakened.

— Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakened

Verb

The deck replacement is necessary because traffic loads on the span have become increasingly heavy, and salt air has eroded bridge materials.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Ongoing inflation has eroded Americans' incomes and soured most consumers on the economy.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of eroded

Verb

The bottom of the walls was damaged; these surfaces are not smooth and easily cleanable.

— NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
But cars have been burned, trees damaged and people hurt in communities across the Palestinian territory, with some people calling this the most dangerous season yet.

— Reuters, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of damaged

Verb

But if the mitochondrial circuits are impaired or if there are simply more electrons from food pouring into the system than the mitochondria can handle, the flow can get bogged down.

— Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
The primary effects generally wear off in less than an hour, but a person’s senses may remain dulled and their judgment and coordination impaired for several hours afterward.

— Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of impaired

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Style

“Undermined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermined. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of undermined

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