WordValeundermine
to weaken gradually
to weaken gradually
to weaken gradually and secretly
to weaken an argument
In more detail
1. (verb) to weaken or damage something gradually, especially by making people doubt it or stop supporting it
2. (verb) to dig or tunnel under something, causing it to become unstable or collapse
Examples
- 1. Repeated scandals undermined the president's authority.
- 2. The river undermined the bridge's foundation over many years.
How to use undermine
Undermine is commonly used in abstract contexts to describe the gradual weakening of authority, trust, or confidence through deliberate or indirect means. It carries stronger implications than 'weaken' and suggests a systematic or insidious process. The literal geological sense of tunneling beneath something is less frequently used in modern English but remains valid.
Common phrases
- undermine confidence
- undermine authority
- undermine one's credibility
- undermine someone's position
- undermine public trust
Synonyms
weaken · erode · subvert · sabotage · compromise
Opposites
strengthen · reinforce · support
Word family
undermined · undermining · undermines
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse undermine with overmine or use it to mean simply 'to contradict' rather than 'to gradually weaken from within or beneath.'
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD