weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.
a disease that weakens the body's defenses
enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.
enfeebled by starvation
debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.
the debilitating effects of surgery
undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.
a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think
cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.
crippled by arthritis
disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.
disabled by an injury sustained at work
Example Sentences
She tried to undermine my authority by complaining about me to my boss. The events of the past year have undermined people's confidence in the government.
Recent Examples on the WebBut rates that escalate, and escalate fast, could undermine those bright spots. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2022 People who condemn the police, including its black and brown officers, as agents of a racist system undermine the nation.WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 Hunger and poor nutrition can significantly undermine learning. Alia Wong, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2022 Daring to risk that movement, and undermine the on-court product, for a slightly bigger piece of the, pie could be risky, and would unquestionably send a poor message to the millions of fans who are tuning in worldwide. Morten Jensen, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Delaying a national climate emergency declaration even this long, however, may undermine the core argument that a crisis is at hand. Will Weissert, ajc, 13 Aug. 2022 Provisions favoring fossil fuels could undermine climate goals. Benjy Sarlin, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2022 The visit could also undermine the Biden administration’s strategy of building economic and diplomatic ties in Asia to counter Beijing.New York Times, 7 Aug. 2022 An emergency move to keep gas cheap, that is, could easily undermine one to save the planet. Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 21 July 2022 See More
ADVERB | VERB + UNDERMINEADVERB➤greatly, radically, seriously, severely, significantly極大地破壞;徹底損害;嚴重削弱;顯著破壞◇His position within the government has been seriously undermined.他在政府中的地位遭到嚴重削弱。➤completely, totally完全/徹底破壞➤ultimately最終破壞◇It ultimately undermined his ability to play.這最終削弱了他的比賽能力。➤rather, somewhat有些損壞;一定程度上削弱▸➤further進一步破壞▸➤effectively有效削弱➤actively主動破壞▸➤fatally致命地破壞▸➤subtly不知不覺地損壞➤systematically系統地破壞▸➤gradually, increasingly, progressively逐漸/日益/逐步削弱▸➤eventually最終破壞➤potentially可能會破壞▸➤constantly不斷破壞VERB + UNDERMINE➤threaten to威脅要破壞▸➤attempt to, seek to, try to企圖破壞;設法損害▸➤conspire to, help (to), serve to, tend to密謀破壞;助長破壞;有削弱作用;趨向於損害▸➤be likely to很可能破壞▸➤be designed to, be intended to計劃破壞;企圖損害◇a terror attack intended to undermine the morale of citizens旨在打擊市民士氣的一次恐怖襲擊