destabilize
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To make something unstable; to undermine the stability, security, or functioning of a system, government, or situation.
- Verb (intransitive):
- To become unstable.
Usage
- As a transitive verb, "destabilize" takes a direct object (e.g., destabilize ). It describes an action that causes instability.
- As an intransitive verb, it describes the process of a system losing its stability on its own.
Examples
- Transitive usage:
- The cyberattack aimed to destabilize the nation's financial infrastructure.
- Spreading misinformation can destabilize public trust in institutions.
- Intransitive usage:
- The political situation began to destabilize following the controversial election.
- Without proper maintenance, the old structure could destabilize over time.
Advanced Usage
- "destabilizing" (adjective): Causing instability.
- The country faced destabilizing levels of inflation.
- Often used in political, economic, and security contexts to describe actions or events that threaten the established order.
Variants and Related Words
- Destabilization (noun): The act of making something unstable or the process of becoming unstable.
- The rapid destabilization of the region led to a humanitarian crisis.
- Stabilize (verb, antonym): To make or become stable.
- Undermine (verb, synonym): To weaken or impair gradually.
Synonyms
- Undermine: To subvert or weaken insidiously.
- Disrupt: To interrupt the normal course of unity.
- Upset: To disturb the normal functioning of.
- Weaken: To reduce the strength or stability of.
Antonyms
- Stabilize: To make firm, steady, or stable.
- Strengthen: To make stronger.
- Secure: To make safe or stable.
Related Phrases/Idioms
(Note: "destabilize" itself is not commonly used in idiomatic phrases. Its usage is typically direct and formal.) - To rock the boat: (Idiom) To do something that upsets a stable situation. This is a more informal concept related to causing instability. - He didn't want to rock the boat by challenging the manager's decision.
Verb
- make unstable
- Terrorism destabilized the government
- become unstable
- The economy destabilized rapidly