Definition

1. Verb:
   • To weaken or damage something gradually or secretly: "Undermine" means to make something less strong or less secure, often in a hidden or indirect way.
   • To dig or wear away the ground beneath something: Literally, it can mean to erode or remove the supporting material from under a structure.

Usage

• The primary use of "undermine" is to describe the act of weakening authority, confidence, health, or a structure, often insidiously.
• It is a transitive verb and requires an object (e.g., undermine ).

Examples

• Verb:
  • Constant criticism can undermine a person's self-confidence.
  • The scandal undermined the government's credibility.
  • Water has undermined the foundations of the old house.

Advanced Usage

• "to undermine efforts": to weaken or sabotage attempts to achieve something.
  • His negative attitude undermined the team's efforts to improve morale.
• "to undermine authority": to weaken the power or legitimacy of a person or institution.
  • Spreading rumors is a common tactic to undermine a leader's authority.

Variants and Related Words

• Undermining (gerund/noun): The process or act of weakening something.
  • The constant undermining of the rules led to chaos.
• Underminer (noun): A person who undermines.
  • He was seen as a dangerous underminer within the organization.

Synonyms

• Weaken: To make less strong.
• Sabotage: To deliberately destroy or damage.
• Erode: To gradually wear away.
• Subvert: To undermine the power and authority of an established system.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Undermine" itself does not commonly form phrasal verbs. The action is typically expressed by the verb alone.)

Related Idioms

• "To cut the ground from under someone's feet": This idiom is similar in meaning to "undermine," meaning to weaken someone's position by secret or indirect means.
  • By releasing the data early, they cut the ground from under their competitor's feet.

Verb

1. hollow out as if making a cave or opening
   • The river was caving the banks
2. destroy property or hinder normal operations
   • The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war