Noun Angry workers were responsible for the sabotage of the machines. Officials have not yet ruled out sabotage as a possible cause of the crash. Verb They sabotaged the enemy's oil fields. The airplane crashed because it was sabotaged. The lawyer is trying to sabotage the case by creating confusion. The deal was sabotaged by an angry employee. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And Dem intel officers’ leak and sabotage campaign was in high operation in Dec. and Jan. Armond White, National Review, 9 Sep. 2022 While unconfirmed, the number of acts of sabotage targeting military and state infrastructure in Russia appears to grow weekly. Guillaume Ptak, WIRED, 29 Aug. 2022 As the war in Ukraine drags on, experts fear a widening arc of risk and retaliation, from destructive attacks on civilian areas to assassination and sabotage plots across borders to the ever-present threat of nuclear miscalculation. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2022 Analysts have suggested that the true cause could involve either sabotage or Russian negligence. Grayson Quay, The Week, 11 Aug. 2022 Farmers and Ukrainian soldiers say the Russian military intentionally fires at ripe wheat and barley to start fires, as a form of economic sabotage.New York Times, 4 Aug. 2022 The attack was the largest sabotage to the United States by another country since Pearl Harbor. Phillip Nieto, Fox News, 8 July 2022 Ukraine has hit bridges across the river using precise, long-range rockets provided by the U.S. Ukrainian sabotage teams also struck in Crimea, destroying at least eight Russian warplanes and setting off a fire at an ammunition depot. James Marson, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 Fans saw the scenes as part of the author’s coming-of-age experience, while critics blasted them as sabotage to developing minds. Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022
Verb
This is no easy role, since the slightest bit of menace would likely sabotage the sensitivity of Zeller’s portrayal. Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2022 Oh, and the powerful spirit of the estate’s previous owner, who is constantly threatening to sabotage her. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 29 Aug. 2022 With two, and maybe more GOP write-in candidates in the race, there’s a genuine possibility that Republicans could sabotage themselves come November by splitting the vote. Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Aug. 2022 With a variety of minds and personalities working together, creative thought should flourish—but there are a few factors that can sabotage it if everyone isn’t careful. Expert Panel, Forbes, 17 June 2022 So, did the home of The Rings of Power inadvertently sabotage House of the Dragon's big night? Nick Romano, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2022 And, if so, why would Tehran sabotage it in this indirect fashion? Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Confederate guerrillas were the first to sabotage trains, blowing up tracks that supported the Northern war effort. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 2 Aug. 2022 Macri went back to Gaylord, at the HR director’s advice, and expressed her fears that Conner would sabotage her career. Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
French, from saboter to clatter with sabots, botch, sabotage, from sabot