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- Dictionaryun·der·mine/ˌəndərˈmīn/
verb
- 1. erode the base or foundation of (a rock formation): "the flow of water had undermined pillars supporting the roof" Similar Opposite
- 2. lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously: "this could undermine years of hard work" Similar Opposite
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The meaning of UNDERMINE is to subvert or weaken insidiously or secretly. How to use undermine in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Undermine.
to make someone less confident, less powerful, or less likely to succeed, or to make something weaker, often gradually: The president has accused two cabinet members of working secretly to undermine his position /him. Criticism just undermines their confidence. Fewer examples.
If you undermine someone's efforts or undermine their chances of achieving something, you behave in a way that makes them less likely to succeed. The continued fighting threatens to undermine efforts to negotiate an agreement.
To undermine literally means to dig a hole underneath something, making it likely to collapse. But we more often use the word to describe sabotage or the act of weakening someone else's efforts. Originally spelled with a ‘y’ instead of an ‘i’, undermine has Germanic roots and means "to weaken, hinder, or impair."
1. To weaken by wearing away a base or foundation: Water has undermined the stone foundations. 2. To weaken, injure, or impair, often by degrees or imperceptibly; sap: Late hours can undermine one's health. 3. To dig a mine or tunnel beneath. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
undermine something to make something weaker at the base, for example by digging under it. Definition of undermine verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
to injure or destroy by insidious activity or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden dramatic effect. to attack by indirect, secret, or underhand means; attempt to subvert by stealth. to make an excavation under; dig or tunnel beneath, as a military stronghold.
UNDERMINE definition: to make someone less confident or make something weaker: . Learn more.
What does the verb undermine mean? There are 13 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb undermine, three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. undermine has developed meanings and uses in subjects including.
to make someone less confident, less powerful, or less likely to succeed, or to make something weaker, often gradually: The president has accused two cabinet members of working secretly to undermine his position /him. Criticism just undermines their confidence. Fewer examples.
