![]() To keep something under (one's) hat "secret" is from 1885 to have something under (one's) nose "in plain sight" is from 1540s to speak under (one's) breath "in a low voice" is attested from 1832. Under the table is from 1913 in the sense of "very drunk," 1940s in sense of "illegal" ( under-board "dishonest" is from c. An example of to undermine is digging a space under a walkway for irrigation. ![]() #Undermine defined fullSee full entry Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. ![]() Under the weather "indisposed" is from 1810. Undermine is defined as to dig beneath, weaken or injure. Definition of 'undermine' undermine (ndman ) Explore 'undermine' in the dictionary verb If you undermine something such as a feeling or a system, you make it less strong or less secure than it was before, often by a gradual process or by repeated efforts. (though this may be an entirely separate root see understand). Also used in Old English as a preposition meaning "between, among," as still in under these circumstances, etc. As an adjective, "lower in position lower in rank or degree" from 13c. With reference to standards, "less than in age, price, value," etc., late 14c. ![]() To weaken, injure, or impair, often by degrees. Notion of "inferior in rank, position, etc." was present in Old English. To weaken by wearing away a base or foundation: Water has undermined the stone foundations. Productive as a prefix in Old English, as in German and Scandinavian (often forming words modeled on Latin ones in sub-). Undermined definition, attacked, weakened, or defeated by underhand or seemingly harmless actions or by imperceptible stages:Both the struggling students and the most gifted ones are receiving limited support from an undermined educational system. To weaken, injure, or impair, often by degrees or imperceptibly sap: Late hours can undermine one's health. Send us feedback.Old English under (prep.) "beneath, among, before, in the presence of, in subjection to, under the rule of, by means of," also, as an adverb, "beneath, below, underneath," expressing position with reference to that which is above, from Proto-Germanic *under- (source also of Old Frisian under, Dutch onder, Old High German untar, German unter, Old Norse undir, Gothic undar), from PIE *ndher- "under" (source also of Sanskrit adhah "below " Avestan athara- "lower " Latin infernus "lower," infra "below"). Examples: Slowly, so slowly that he swore inwardly at himself, came the obvious answer, and then he went to the calculus of his undermind. To weaken by wearing away a base or foundation: Water has undermined the stone foundations. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'undermine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. 2022 Republicans said the new measure would undermine an economy that policymakers are struggling to keep from plummeting into recession.Īlan Fram And Lisa Mascaro, Chron, 7 Aug. 2022 Republicans said the measure would undermine an economy that policymakers are struggling to keep from plummeting into recession.Īlan Fram,, 7 Aug. To weaken by wearing away a base or foundation: Water has undermined the stone foundations. The underminer doesn't use blatantly hostile language or actions to take you down. undermines synonyms, undermines pronunciation, undermines translation, English dictionary definition of undermines. 2022 Republicans said the measure would undermine an economy that policymakers are struggling to keep from plummeting into recession.ĬBS News, 7 Aug. undermine something/somebody to make something, especially somebodys confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective. Unlike overt bullying or harassment, undermining can be harder to pinpoint and detect. 2022 Republicans said the measure would undermine an economy that policymakers are struggling to keep from plummeting into recession. 2022 Some fishers claim that strict state and federal regulations designed to conserve stocks undermine their livelihoods even more.Įmily Cataneo, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2022 Our research on prosecuting world leaders finds that both sweeping immunity and overzealous prosecutions can undermine democracy. 2022 Some experts argue that further isolating Afghanistan will only undermine the moderate faction. Criticism just undermines their confidence. Recent Examples on the Web Oil slumped to its lowest level since January on Wednesday amid fears that slowing global growth will undermine demand. undermine verb T uk / n.dman / us / n.dman / C2 to make someone less confident, less powerful, or less likely to succeed, or to make something weaker, often gradually: The president has accused two cabinet members of working secretly to undermine his position /him. ![]()
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