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.

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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 students also undermine their non-AI-using peers. —Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2025 Brazil is facing a demographic turning point that economists warn could undermine its long-term economic stability. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 Prosecutors had alleged that the coup plot began in 2021, with efforts to undermine public trust in the electoral system. —Michael Rios, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025 Critics allege that Google’s dominance not only undermines traditional publishing revenues but mutes the diversity of online voices, accelerating the decline of the open, accessible web, just as Google admitted behind closed doors, in court. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for undermine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermine
  1. weaken
  2. impair
  3. erode
  4. damage
  5. compromise
Verb
  • Foreign powers such as Russia and China, which challenge America and its allies from Europe to the Middle East to Taiwan and the South China Sea, have long been accused of exploiting such divisions through disinformation campaigns that inflame tensions and weaken confidence in American governance.
    — Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
  • But around the equinoxes, the natural buffer weakens.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • The driver of the car was found to be impaired by alcohol, according to the Richmond Police Department.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • This leap allows researchers to study battery materials in unprecedented detail, probing not just cathode and anode but also tiny structural defects that could impair performance.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of impair
Verb
  • Chinese policymakers have intensified efforts aimed at reining in excessive price cuts that have eroded corporate profits while doing little to spur demand.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Higher prices risk eroding consumers’ purchasing power, and for those living paycheck to paycheck this can be quite painful.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of erode
Verb
  • Washing a couch or sofa, professional carpet and upholstery cleaner Ben Brazell says, is more precarious than carpet cleaning because the upholstery is often a lot more expensive and much easier to damage.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Private homes, farm buildings and power lines were damaged, Gusev said.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of damage
Verb
  • But Barman and Wilke noted that despite the goal of creating a low-cost, customizable vehicle, the company did not want to compromise on value.
    — Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Lovevook Laptop Tote Bag Looking stylish for work doesn’t have to mean compromising on function.
    — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 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 14 Sep. 2025.

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