as in to weaken
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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Recent Examples of undermine
Overemphasizing uncertainties can be used to raise doubt and unduly undermine confidence in robust findings.
—
H. Christopher Frey, The Conversation, 5 June 2025
Lower rates would be welcome news for the market—but the instability spurred by Trump's tariff policies has undermined hopes that the Fed would lower its key interest rate any time soon, triggering a decline in mortgage rates.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Very soon, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) will decide whether to correct a quiet but serious failure – one that risks turning the American legal process into a tactical weapon for foreign infringers that could undermine American innovation.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Max Muncy hit two home runs – including one in the ninth inning to tie the score – to make up for his ninth error of the season (tied for the second-most in the majors among all positions) that undermined Clayton Kershaw and helped the New York Mets erase the Dodgers’ early lead.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for undermine
H. Christopher Frey, The Conversation, 5 June 2025
Lower rates would be welcome news for the market—but the instability spurred by Trump's tariff policies has undermined hopes that the Fed would lower its key interest rate any time soon, triggering a decline in mortgage rates.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Very soon, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) will decide whether to correct a quiet but serious failure – one that risks turning the American legal process into a tactical weapon for foreign infringers that could undermine American innovation.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Max Muncy hit two home runs – including one in the ninth inning to tie the score – to make up for his ninth error of the season (tied for the second-most in the majors among all positions) that undermined Clayton Kershaw and helped the New York Mets erase the Dodgers’ early lead.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for undermine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermine
Verb
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Bias, inaccuracies and missing values can all weaken model reliability.—
Tor Constantino,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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Coercing democratic allies such as Canada or Denmark more broadly weakens trust in U.S. alliances; threatening Panama reawakens fears of imperialism throughout Latin America; crippling the U.S. Agency for International Development undercuts the United States’ reputation for benevolence.—
Robert O. Keohane,
Foreign Affairs,
2 June 2025
Verb
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None of the officers, aside from Gazzola, reported seeing signs that Pino was impaired.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
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This is when trauma impairs emotional regulation and thinking, causing repetitive, distressing behaviors.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The persistent issue of greenwashing, where investments are promoted as sustainable without verifiable environmental benefits, has eroded trust and slowed market development.—
Edoardo Francesco Sabatino,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Maryland’s coastlines are eroding at an alarming rate.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
5 June 2025
Verb
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No one was hurt but the Toyota 4Runner the men were inside and another vehicle were damaged.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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In addition to direct contact, Toxoplasma may also damage sperm because the infection promotes chronic inflammation.—
Bill Sullivan,
The Conversation,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Just remember: Collaboration doesn’t mean compromising your values.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 June 2025
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By producing an affordable pair of multi-driver IEMs, without compromising on sound and build quality, Noble Audio hopes to bag a slice of this growing market.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Undermine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermine. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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