Definition Synonyms
Definition of undermined - Reverso English Dictionary
Adjective
1.
effectivenessmade less effective
- His authority was undermined by constant criticism.
2.
damageweakened or damaged
- The foundation of the building was undermined by the flood.
Origin of undermined
Middle English, under (below) + minen (to mine)
Terms with undermined included in their meaning
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politics
undermined or overthrown from the foundation
figurative
incapable of being undermined or defeated
politics
political system where democracy is undermined by economic power
metaphorical
being aggressively undermined or sabotaged
Examples of undermined in a sentence
Her confidence was undermined by the harsh feedback. Her confidence was undermined by constant criticism.
View all translations of undermined
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:affaibli, fragilisé, ...
- German:untergraben, ...
- Italian:minato, danneggiato, ...
- Spanish:socavado, debilitado, ...
- Portuguese:minado, danificado, ...
- Chinese:被削弱的, 受损的, ...
- Japanese:弱体化した, ...
- Arabic:مُقَوَّض, مُتَضَرِّر, ...
- Hebrew:מוּחְלָשׁ, מֻחְלָשׁ, ...
- Russian:подорванный, ослабленный, ...
- Ukrainian:підважений, пошкоджений, ...
- Hindi:कमज़ोर, कमजोर, ...
Definition of undermine - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
authoritymake authority less secure indirectly
- The rumors undermine his leadership.
2.
erosionerode the base or foundation
- The river undermines the cliff over time.
3.
diggingdig underneath for destructive purposes
- The miners undermine the old castle.
Expressions with undermine
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weaken someone's power or control
His constant criticism undermined her authority at work.
weaken the body's ability to function
Poor diet and lack of exercise can undermine health.
erode trust and stability in a relationship
Gossiping can quickly undermine a relationship by spreading false information.
weaken the trust others have in someone
The scandal will undermine the politician's credibility.
weaken or sabotage attempts to achieve something
His comments were meant to undermine efforts to improve the team's morale.
weaken the confidence or spirit of a group
Negative comments can undermine morale in the workplace.
gradually reduce the strength or effectiveness of support
Negative media coverage may undermine support for the new policy.
Origin of undermine
Middle English, undermyne (to weaken) + Old English, myne (mine)
Examples of undermine in a sentence
His actions could undermine the entire project. Waves undermine the coastal rocks gradually. The sea undermines the base of the lighthouse. They planned to undermine the enemy's fortifications. The engineers were hired to undermine the old bridge for safety reasons.
View all translations of undermine
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:saper, ...
- German:untergraben, aushöhlen, ...
- Italian:minare, erodere, ...
- Spanish:socavar, erosionar, ...
- Portuguese:minar, desgastar, ...
- Chinese:削弱, 侵蚀, ...
- Japanese:弱体化させる, 侵食する, ...
- Arabic:قَوَّضَ, نَحَت, ...
- Hebrew:לְעַרְעֵר, לִשְׁחוֹק, ...
- Russian:подрывать, размывать, ...
- Ukrainian:підривати, підмивати, ...
- Hindi:कमज़ोर करना, नींव काटना, ...
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