# undermine

/ˈəndɝˌmaɪn/ (US) · /ˌʌndəmˈaɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/undermine
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 3. philosophy of objects

verb · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

to explain a thing by only looking at the smaller parts that make it up.

For teachers: to reduce an object to its component parts or sub-entities, denying its autonomous reality as a whole.

- Some thinkers undermine the idea of a 'table' by saying it is just a collection of atoms.
- In object-oriented ontology, to undermine an object is to claim it is nothing more than the sum of its constituent pieces.

Usage: Used specifically within the framework of Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO).

## Examples

- Constant criticism can undermine your confidence.
- The leaked documents threatened to undermine the public's trust in the local government's ability to manage the crisis.
- In philosophical discourse, a single logical inconsistency can undermine an entire metaphysical framework, rendering the subsequent arguments structurally unsound despite their individual rhetorical appeal.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.