Undermine
Meaning: To weaken something gradually or indirectly, or to make an argument or effort less effective.
Examples
- The study's conclusions are undermined by the fact that participants reported their own sleep habits, which people often misjudge.
- Repeated budget cuts gradually undermined the museum's ability to care for its collections.
Synonyms and antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Memory tip
Literally, it means to dig a tunnel under a wall so the wall collapses. It is weakening from below.
Practice question
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Researchers claim that a new fertilizer increases crop yield. Which finding, if true, would most directly undermine this claim?
Answer: B) The fertilized fields also received much more rainfall than the unfertilized fields.
If the fertilized fields also got more rain, the rain, not the fertilizer, could explain the bigger harvest. That weakens the claim.
Make “undermine” stick
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Practice with flashcardsMore SAT words
deserving great respect because of age, wisdom, or long service
abateto become less intense, active, or widespread
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abstractexisting as an idea rather than as a physical thing
acknowledgeto accept or admit that something exists or is true
adaptto change in order to suit new conditions
adhereto stick firmly to something
adventthe arrival or beginning of something important