Meaning & use
undermined
Last updated
Weakened or damaged something gradually, especially a plan, authority, or confidence, often in a subtle or indirect way.
See it in a sentence
Constant criticism undermined her confidence over time.
The scandal undermined public trust in the institution.
A note on using this word
Originally a literal term for digging beneath a structure to cause its collapse; the figurative sense is now far more common.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
strengthenedsupported
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