as in erosion
a gradual weakening, loss, or destruction
the view that the constant mudslinging and negative campaigning contributes to the undermining of the public's faith in politics and government
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in weakening
to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way
She tried to undermine my authority by complaining about me to my boss. The events of the past year have undermined people's confidence in the government.
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Recent Examples of undermining
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026
This is a direct undermining of the idea of art.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Long commute times are certainly frustrating, but continual undermining of mass transit projects isn’t going to solve the problem.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2026
What is the purpose of this layering and undermining of the story’s authenticity?
—John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
The undermining of an independent judiciary.
—Richard Stengel, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
What is required is a pullback - on huge deficits, on aggravating international and internal relationships, and on the undermining of historical foundations of the United States.
—John S. Tobey, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Flores and Cantello also said many of their colleagues were placed on administrative leave after signing a letter of dissent criticizing EPA leadership’s undermining of public trust and disregard for scientific consensus.
—William Tong, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Rivalry between India-China, competing interests of Iran-UAE, and divisions over Russia’s Ukraine war are undermining the alliance’s push to counter Western dominance.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Trump has, in contrast, made a practice of undermining those rules and can be expected to stretch Section 301 as far as possible.
—Kent Jones, The Conversation, 14 May 2026
The question is whether this bill does so or instead sweeps innocent families into an overbroad administrative system that does little to improve child safety while undermining constitutional protections for parents.
—James R Mason, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
This outcome appears to be undermining gains made from regulations around ozone emissions under the Clean Air Act.
—Joanna Thompson, Space.com, 12 May 2026
John blamed Steve for the Mac Division’s poor sales and lambasted him for undermining his authority.
—Geoffrey Cain, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Protect your energy instead of undermining feelings of burnout.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales are also undermining the longtime Labour-Conservative duopoly.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
Noun
The concentration of power in one person, the undermining of elections, disregarding the rule of law, the weakening checks and balances, and replacing constitutional loyalty with personal loyalty.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026
This is a direct undermining of the idea of art.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Long commute times are certainly frustrating, but continual undermining of mass transit projects isn’t going to solve the problem.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2026
What is the purpose of this layering and undermining of the story’s authenticity?
—John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
The undermining of an independent judiciary.
—Richard Stengel, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
What is required is a pullback - on huge deficits, on aggravating international and internal relationships, and on the undermining of historical foundations of the United States.
—John S. Tobey, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Flores and Cantello also said many of their colleagues were placed on administrative leave after signing a letter of dissent criticizing EPA leadership’s undermining of public trust and disregard for scientific consensus.
—William Tong, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
My ongoing efforts entail identifying ways that AI is helping mental well-being, in addition to ways that AI is simultaneously undermining mental well-being, see the link here.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Rivalry between India-China, competing interests of Iran-UAE, and divisions over Russia’s Ukraine war are undermining the alliance’s push to counter Western dominance.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Trump has, in contrast, made a practice of undermining those rules and can be expected to stretch Section 301 as far as possible.
—Kent Jones, The Conversation, 14 May 2026
The question is whether this bill does so or instead sweeps innocent families into an overbroad administrative system that does little to improve child safety while undermining constitutional protections for parents.
—James R Mason, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
This outcome appears to be undermining gains made from regulations around ozone emissions under the Clean Air Act.
—Joanna Thompson, Space.com, 12 May 2026
John blamed Steve for the Mac Division’s poor sales and lambasted him for undermining his authority.
—Geoffrey Cain, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Protect your energy instead of undermining feelings of burnout.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales are also undermining the longtime Labour-Conservative duopoly.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermining
Noun
-
Some of these questions can be studied by a field called geomorphology, the study of how the Earth’s surface changes, especially by erosion.—
Geoff Emberling,
The Conversation,
19 May 2026
-
That hyper-local, hyper-personal sense of trust and the village green is becoming an important bulwark against the erosion of values in other realms.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
That separation is now weakening.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
In addition to these external influences, Dini emphasized that long-term domestic instability has left Somalia’s coastline vulnerable, weakening local institutions and lowering the risks for pirate networks.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Here's how to clean a touchscreen without damaging it.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
-
Be sure your mower has a chute blocker and point the chute towards your own property, not the neighbor’s, to avoid making a mess or damaging their cars.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Psychological safety — which 83% of executives in the MIT Technology Review survey identified as measurably improving AI initiative outcomes — is eroding inside those same initiatives.—
Julie Averill,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
More broadly, the NFL is eroding the scarcity that helped turn the sport into America’s dominant television property.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Crude oil also disrupts animals’ nervous systems, Grosell added, impairing their senses and ability to navigate, process input, and properly orient themselves in their environment.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The now former Hungarian leader has been widely criticized for dismantling or impairing many democratic institutions including the Constitution, law courts and the media, and packing influential committees with loyalists.—
Patrick Smith,
NBC news,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hethington didn’t want to cannibalize his menu with the dish, instead compromising with a jerk lamb shank, and a whole Chinese Trini chicken, an homage to the popular takeout food in Trinidad.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Discussions on the formation of a board of trade, a mechanism to boost commerce in non-sensitive areas without compromising either side’s national security, will also move forward in an effort to solidify relations.—
Lee Williamson,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undermining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermining. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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