untergraben — meaning in English

English meaning

• subvert verb To weaken or destroy an established system, authority, or institution, often secretly.
• undermine verb To weaken support or confidence gradually, often secretly.

Senses

untergraben is used for these senses in English:

• subvert (transitive) To upturn convention from the foundation by undermining it (literally, to turn from beneath).
• undermine To dig underneath (something), to make a passage for destructive or military purposes; to sap. [from 14th c.]
• undermine (figuratively) To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage. [from 15th c.]

undermine — full definition

1. verb To weaken support or confidence gradually, often secretly.
2. verb To wear away the base or foundation of something physically, such as by water or digging.

Related German words