"undermine" meaning in English

See undermine in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /ˌʌn.dəˈmaɪn/ [UK], /ˌʌn.dɚˈmaɪn/ [US] Audio: en-us-undermine.ogg [US] Forms: undermines [present, singular, third-person], undermining [participle, present], undermined [participle, past], undermined [past]
Rhymes: -aɪn Etymology: From under- + mine. Etymology templates: {{prefix|en|under|mine}} under- + mine Head templates: {{en-verb}} undermine (third-person singular simple present undermines, present participle undermining, simple past and past participle undermined)
  1. To dig underneath (something), to make a passage for destructive or military purposes; to sap. Translations (to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening): подкопавам (podkopavam) (Bulgarian), soscavar (Catalan), podkopávat (Czech), undergrave (Danish), subfosi (Esperanto), kaivaa alle (Finnish), kaivaa maata alta (Finnish), saper (French), untergraben (German), υποσκάπτω (yposkápto) (Greek), aláaknáz (Hungarian), surruō (Latin), underminere (Norwegian Bokmål), undergrave (Norwegian Bokmål), solapar (Portuguese), minar (Portuguese), подка́пывать (podkápyvatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), подкопа́ть (podkopátʹ) [perfective] (Russian), подрыва́ть (podryvátʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), подры́ть (podrýtʹ) [perfective] (Russian), socavar (Spanish), підко́пувати (pidkópuvaty) [imperfective] (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-undermine-en-verb-wWicONDF Categories (other): English terms prefixed with under- Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with under-: 41 17 17 25 Disambiguation of 'to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening': 79 4 5 11
  2. (figuratively) To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage. Tags: figuratively Translations (hinder, sabotage): подкопавам (podkopavam) (Bulgarian), soscavar (Catalan), minar (Catalan), podkopávat (Czech), undergrave (Danish), underminere (Danish), ondermijnen (Dutch), ontwrichten (Dutch), ondergraven (Dutch), subfosi (Esperanto), heikentää (Finnish), sabotoida (Finnish), saper (French), unterlaufen (German), untergraben (German), unterminieren (German), schwächen (German), υπονομεύω (yponomévo) (Greek), חתר תחת (ḥatar taḥat) (Hebrew), áb-ab (Hiligaynon), aláaknáz (Hungarian), aláás (Hungarian), minare (Italian), minacciare (Italian), pregiudicare (Italian), compromettere (Italian), ostacolare (Italian), surruō (Latin), whakararu (Maori), underdelven (Middle English), underminere (Norwegian Bokmål), undergrave (Norwegian Bokmål), بالطهلامق (baltalamak) (Ottoman Turkish), تضعیف کردن (taz'if kardan) (Persian), solapar (Portuguese), sabotar (Portuguese), prejudicar (Portuguese), surpa (Romanian), submina (Romanian), săpa (Romanian), подрыва́ть (podryvátʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), подорва́ть (podorvátʹ) [perfective] (Russian), поткопати [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), поткопавати [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), potkopati [Roman] (Serbo-Croatian), potkopavati [Roman] (Serbo-Croatian), socavar (Spanish), desvirtuar (Spanish), underminera (Swedish), undergräva (Swedish), baltalamak (Turkish), посла́блювати (poslábljuvaty) [imperfective] (Ukrainian), перешкоджа́ти (pereškodžáty) [imperfective] (Ukrainian), підрива́ти (pidryváty) [imperfective] (Ukrainian), tanseilio (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-undermine-en-verb-8Oemwl5t Disambiguation of 'hinder, sabotage': 2 95 2 2
  3. To erode the base or foundation of something, e.g. by the action of water.
    Sense id: en-undermine-en-verb-WQedfzYv
  4. (philosophy) To regard an object as the sum of the parts that compose it, in object-oriented ontology. Categories (topical): Philosophy
    Sense id: en-undermine-en-verb-a7InrG9r Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 33 8 10 49 Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for undermine meaning in English (14.8kB)

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "undergird"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "under",
        "3": "mine"
      },
      "expansion": "under- + mine",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From under- + mine.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "undermines",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "undermining",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "undermined",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "undermined",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "undermine (third-person singular simple present undermines, present participle undermining, simple past and past participle undermined)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "41 17 17 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with under-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 312",
          "text": "Martin, for instance, had on one occasion undermined a tree sacred to old gods, then stood in the path of its fall, but forced it to fall elsewhere by making the sign of the Cross.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To dig underneath (something), to make a passage for destructive or military purposes; to sap."
      ],
      "id": "en-undermine-en-verb-wWicONDF",
      "links": [
        [
          "dig",
          "dig"
        ],
        [
          "sap",
          "sap"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "podkopavam",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "подкопавам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "soscavar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "podkopávat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "undergrave"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "subfosi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "kaivaa alle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "kaivaa maata alta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "saper"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "untergraben"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "yposkápto",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "υποσκάπτω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "aláaknáz"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "surruō"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "underminere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "undergrave"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "solapar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "minar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podkápyvatʹ",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "подка́пывать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podkopátʹ",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "подкопа́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podryvátʹ",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "подрыва́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podrýtʹ",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "подры́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "word": "socavar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 4 5 11",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "pidkópuvaty",
          "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "підко́пувати"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The war efforts were undermined by the constant bickering between the allies.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, “Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, in the Guardian",
          "text": "The growing use of social media to spread anger and dissent in the Arab world has been hailed by western governments as one of the chief justifications for a completely unfettered internet. The US is reportedly funding the secret rollout of technology in Iran in an effort to undermine internet censors in the country.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 January 26, “Network News: DfT awaits verdict on COVID 'partygate' scandal”, in RAIL, number 949, page 6",
          "text": "The 'partygate' controversy has played a major part in undermining the credibility of Boris Johnson and his Government and has led to calls from senior MPs for him to resign.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage."
      ],
      "id": "en-undermine-en-verb-8Oemwl5t",
      "links": [
        [
          "hinder",
          "hinder"
        ],
        [
          "sabotage",
          "sabotage"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "podkopavam",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "подкопавам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "soscavar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "minar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "podkopávat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "undergrave"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "underminere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "ondermijnen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "ontwrichten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "ondergraven"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "subfosi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "heikentää"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "sabotoida"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "saper"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "unterlaufen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "untergraben"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "unterminieren"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "schwächen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "yponomévo",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "υπονομεύω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "ḥatar taḥat",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "חתר תחת"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "hil",
          "lang": "Hiligaynon",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "áb-ab"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "aláaknáz"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "aláás"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "minare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "minacciare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "pregiudicare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "compromettere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "ostacolare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "surruō"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "whakararu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "enm",
          "lang": "Middle English",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "underdelven"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "underminere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "undergrave"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ota",
          "lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
          "roman": "baltalamak",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "بالطهلامق"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "taz'if kardan",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "تضعیف کردن"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "solapar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "sabotar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "prejudicar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "surpa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "submina"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "săpa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podryvátʹ",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "подрыва́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podorvátʹ",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "подорва́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "поткопати"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "поткопавати"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "Roman"
          ],
          "word": "potkopati"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "Roman"
          ],
          "word": "potkopavati"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "socavar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "desvirtuar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "underminera"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "undergräva"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "baltalamak"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "poslábljuvaty",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "посла́блювати"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "pereškodžáty",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "перешкоджа́ти"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "pidryváty",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "підрива́ти"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 2 2",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
          "word": "tanseilio"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2020 August 26, “Network News: Major flood damage severs key Edinburgh-Glasgow rail artery”, in Rail, page 21",
          "text": "Services between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High are currently suspended, following a 30-metre breach of the Union Canal that occurred on August 12 after torrential rain and thunderstorms. The thousands of gallons of water that cascaded onto the railway line below washed away track, ballast and overhead line equipment, and undermined embankments along a 300-metre section of Scotland's busiest rail link.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To erode the base or foundation of something, e.g. by the action of water."
      ],
      "id": "en-undermine-en-verb-WQedfzYv"
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Philosophy",
          "orig": "en:Philosophy",
          "parents": [
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 8 10 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Coordinate term: overmine"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022, Nicholas Gayle, Conrad and the Being of the World, page 25",
          "text": "We can even go further: when we consider an object in everyday life we do not usually just undermine or overmine it as if it demanded an either/or approach, but rather we run the two processes in tandem: duomining, as Harman labels it.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To regard an object as the sum of the parts that compose it, in object-oriented ontology."
      ],
      "id": "en-undermine-en-verb-a7InrG9r",
      "links": [
        [
          "philosophy",
          "philosophy"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(philosophy) To regard an object as the sum of the parts that compose it, in object-oriented ontology."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "philosophy",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌʌn.dəˈmaɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌʌn.dɚˈmaɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪn"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-undermine.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/50/En-us-undermine.ogg/En-us-undermine.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/En-us-undermine.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "undermine"
}
{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "undergird"
    }
  ],
  "categories": [
    "English 3-syllable words",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms prefixed with under-",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "Requests for review of Italian translations",
    "Requests for review of Swedish translations",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪn",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪn/3 syllables"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "under",
        "3": "mine"
      },
      "expansion": "under- + mine",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From under- + mine.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "undermines",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "undermining",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "undermined",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "undermined",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "undermine (third-person singular simple present undermines, present participle undermining, simple past and past participle undermined)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 312",
          "text": "Martin, for instance, had on one occasion undermined a tree sacred to old gods, then stood in the path of its fall, but forced it to fall elsewhere by making the sign of the Cross.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To dig underneath (something), to make a passage for destructive or military purposes; to sap."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "dig",
          "dig"
        ],
        [
          "sap",
          "sap"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The war efforts were undermined by the constant bickering between the allies.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, “Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, in the Guardian",
          "text": "The growing use of social media to spread anger and dissent in the Arab world has been hailed by western governments as one of the chief justifications for a completely unfettered internet. The US is reportedly funding the secret rollout of technology in Iran in an effort to undermine internet censors in the country.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 January 26, “Network News: DfT awaits verdict on COVID 'partygate' scandal”, in RAIL, number 949, page 6",
          "text": "The 'partygate' controversy has played a major part in undermining the credibility of Boris Johnson and his Government and has led to calls from senior MPs for him to resign.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "hinder",
          "hinder"
        ],
        [
          "sabotage",
          "sabotage"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2020 August 26, “Network News: Major flood damage severs key Edinburgh-Glasgow rail artery”, in Rail, page 21",
          "text": "Services between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High are currently suspended, following a 30-metre breach of the Union Canal that occurred on August 12 after torrential rain and thunderstorms. The thousands of gallons of water that cascaded onto the railway line below washed away track, ballast and overhead line equipment, and undermined embankments along a 300-metre section of Scotland's busiest rail link.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To erode the base or foundation of something, e.g. by the action of water."
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "en:Philosophy"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Coordinate term: overmine"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022, Nicholas Gayle, Conrad and the Being of the World, page 25",
          "text": "We can even go further: when we consider an object in everyday life we do not usually just undermine or overmine it as if it demanded an either/or approach, but rather we run the two processes in tandem: duomining, as Harman labels it.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To regard an object as the sum of the parts that compose it, in object-oriented ontology."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "philosophy",
          "philosophy"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(philosophy) To regard an object as the sum of the parts that compose it, in object-oriented ontology."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "philosophy",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌʌn.dəˈmaɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌʌn.dɚˈmaɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪn"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-undermine.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/50/En-us-undermine.ogg/En-us-undermine.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/En-us-undermine.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "podkopavam",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "подкопавам"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "soscavar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "minar"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "podkopávat"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "undergrave"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "underminere"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "ondermijnen"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "ontwrichten"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "ondergraven"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "subfosi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "heikentää"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "sabotoida"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "saper"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "unterlaufen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "untergraben"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "unterminieren"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "schwächen"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "yponomévo",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "υπονομεύω"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "ḥatar taḥat",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "חתר תחת"
    },
    {
      "code": "hil",
      "lang": "Hiligaynon",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "áb-ab"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "aláaknáz"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "aláás"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "minare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "minacciare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "pregiudicare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "compromettere"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "ostacolare"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "surruō"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "whakararu"
    },
    {
      "code": "enm",
      "lang": "Middle English",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "underdelven"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "underminere"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "undergrave"
    },
    {
      "code": "ota",
      "lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
      "roman": "baltalamak",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "بالطهلامق"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "taz'if kardan",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "تضعیف کردن"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "solapar"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "sabotar"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "prejudicar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "surpa"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "submina"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "săpa"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podryvátʹ",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "подрыва́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podorvátʹ",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "подорва́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "поткопати"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "поткопавати"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "Roman"
      ],
      "word": "potkopati"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "Roman"
      ],
      "word": "potkopavati"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "socavar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "desvirtuar"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "underminera"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "undergräva"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "baltalamak"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "poslábljuvaty",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "посла́блювати"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "pereškodžáty",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "перешкоджа́ти"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "pidryváty",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "підрива́ти"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "hinder, sabotage",
      "word": "tanseilio"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "podkopavam",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "подкопавам"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "soscavar"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "podkopávat"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "undergrave"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "subfosi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "kaivaa alle"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "kaivaa maata alta"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "saper"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "untergraben"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "yposkápto",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "υποσκάπτω"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "aláaknáz"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "surruō"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "underminere"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "undergrave"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "solapar"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "minar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podkápyvatʹ",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "подка́пывать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podkopátʹ",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "подкопа́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podryvátʹ",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "подрыва́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podrýtʹ",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "подры́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "word": "socavar"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "pidkópuvaty",
      "sense": "to dig, tunnel, hollow out as if making a cave or opening",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "підко́пувати"
    }
  ],
  "word": "undermine"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-20 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (1d5a7d1 and 304864d). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.