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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

undermine

/ˌʌn.dɚˈmaɪn/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does undermine mean?

verb

  1. To dig underneath (something), to make a passage for destructive or military purposes; to sap.
  2. (figuratively) To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage.
  3. To erode the base or foundation of something, e.g. by the action of water.
More meanings (1)

verb

  1. To regard an object as the sum of the parts that compose it, in object-oriented ontology.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˌʌn.dɚˈmaɪn/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

If Troy be not taken till these two undermine it, the walls will stand till they fall of themselves.
William ShakespeareThe Complete Works of William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg ebook #100
The badgers and other burrowers began at once to undermine his rocky fortress, while the climbers undertook to scale its perpendicular walls.
Charles A. EastmanThe Soul of the Indian: An InterpretationProject Gutenberg ebook #340
More book examples (3)
It is an awful thing to think of the enormous caverns that are entered from some Roman churches, and undermine the city.
Charles DickensPictures from ItalyProject Gutenberg ebook #650
If we do not turn the hearts of children toward knowledge and character, we will lose their gifts and undermine their idealism.
United States. PresidentsUnited States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches: From Washington to George W. BushProject Gutenberg ebook #925
Besides, it would be the more useless to attempt to undermine this dogma, inasmuch as it has an appearance of reasonableness in its favour.
Gustave Le BonThe crowd : $b A study of the popular mindProject Gutenberg ebook #445