undermine

verb

Definition of underminenext
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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word undermine distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of undermine are cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, and weaken. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," 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

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than undermine?

The meanings of cripple and undermine largely overlap; however, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

When can debilitate be used instead of undermine?

While the synonyms debilitate and undermine are close in meaning, debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When could disable be used to replace undermine?

The words disable and undermine can be used in similar contexts, but disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When is it sensible to use enfeeble instead of undermine?

Although the words enfeeble and undermine have much in common, enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

When might weaken be a better fit than undermine?

The words weaken and undermine are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Example Sentences

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 undermine These split-second expressions can quickly undermine trust. —Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025 Kennedy has spoken about the benefits of the MMR vaccine but also continues to undermine its safety and efficacy. —Bruce Handy, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025 Delaying this process undermines our democratic principles and the trust of our constituents. Concerns about cost and voter fatigue are valid but surmountable. —Erin Murphy, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2025 Perera says the Trump administration's changes will likely exacerbate those delays and undermine civil rights protections. —Dylan Peers McCoy, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for undermine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermine
  1. weaken
  2. impair
  3. erode
  4. damage
  5. compromise
Verb
  • Agreeing to a pick swap with the Lynx weakened the value of the pick that the Sky traded away.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
  • One by one, the sectors defect, and, eventually, the leader may weaken and their government may fall.
    — Julia Angwin, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • Each has a private patio, but they are slightly raised off the ground, and much less ideal for the mobility impaired.
    — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2025
  • In particular, smoking, vaping, drinking alcohol, skipping sleep, using recreational drugs (like marijuana), and downing a ton of sugar may all contribute to an excess of those free-wheeling free radicals and impair your body’s ability to defend against them.
    — Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of impair
Verb
  • The next mayor must understand that car supremacy cuts into public space, threatens public safety, and erodes the public’s quality of life — just ask the families of 121 pedestrians who were crushed to death by motor vehicles last year, mostly while trying to get from one curb to another.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Rising sea levels not only push back its shorelines, but the encroaching salt water also erodes the country’s limited farmland.
    — Kathleen Magramo, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of erode
Verb
  • Their son and daughter-in-law, Cameron Bott, 35, and his wife, Diana, 36, whose nearby home was damaged in the tornado, initiated a discussion about starting a GoFundMe to offset potential insurance shortfalls in rebuilding the gas station.
    — Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
  • In addition, these same poisons can damage a cell’s DNA which can allow that cell to grow out of control and cause cancer.
    — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of damage
Verb
  • This put Hamlin on the front row and compromised Blaney's lead.
    — David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Adding to these challenges, companies face difficulty implementing robust identity verification measures without compromising customer experience.
    — Quora, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of compromise

Browse Nearby Words

underlying
undermine
undermined
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Undermine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermine. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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