View synonyms for

undermining

[ uhn-der-mahy-ning ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the act or process of injuring, attacking, or destroying something or someone indirectly or by imperceptible degrees, often leading to a dramatic collapse:
The undermining of Scottish Gaelic as a viable language resulted not from decrees, but from a gradual weakening of independent Scottish institutions.
the act or process of weakening something or causing it to collapse by removing its underlying support, as by erosion:
During the heavy rains, blocked sewers caused the flooding of the basement and the undermining of the wall by water.
the act of digging or tunneling underneath something, as a military stronghold:
The siege works were now close enough to allow the undermining of some of the bastions of the fortress.

adjective

weakening something or someone gradually or indirectly:
Seating students in rows, so they cannot see each other’s faces, has an undermining effect on their engagement.
digging or tunneling underneath something, or removing or eroding its underlying support:
The land along the shoreline collapsed because of undermining waves and currents.

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Other Word Forms

�ܲ�·��·��·��Բ�·�� adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of undermining¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; undermin(e) ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses; undermin(e) ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The UN says this is "further depriving people of the means for survival and undermining every aspect of civilian life".

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He said the aim was to protect the needs of victims whilst not undermining the fundamental rights of offenders.

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The Tory leader struck a similarly relaxed tone when asked by the BBC if Jenrick was undermining her leadership with his comments on Reform.

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Conservatives in Argentina accused him of undermining historical traditions they held sacred, while reformers hoped for more profound changes.

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Russia's demand for "the underlying causes of the conflict" to be resolved suggest it has not moved from its original objective of undermining Ukraine's sovereignty - through negotiations as well as military means.

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Related Words

subversion

undermined undermodulate

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