Word
undoing
Phoneticsun·do·ing, stress on the second syllable
US/ənˈduɪŋ/
UK/ʌndˈuːɪŋ/
Definitions
01cause of ruin
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the reason why someone fails or loses their power or success.
n. the cause of someone's ruin, downfall, or defeat.
“His pride was his undoing, as he refused to listen to any advice.”
“The CEO's obsession with short-term profits eventually proved to be the company's undoing when the long-term infrastructure began to fail.”
02unfastening
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the act of opening or loosening something that is tied or closed.
n. the act of unfastening, loosening, or untying something.
“The undoing of the heavy knots took several minutes of hard work.”
“The careful undoing of the ancient scroll required specialized tools to prevent the fragile parchment from crumbling.”
Synonyms
03reversal
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the act of cancelling or changing a previous decision or action.
n. the annulment or reversal of a previous action, decision, or effect.
“The undoing of the new law caused a lot of confusion in the city.”
“The sudden undoing of years of diplomatic progress left the two nations on the brink of a trade war.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“But beyond the economy, Syria would risk undoing much of the work done in building a new unified armed force.” Etymology
From Middle English undoinge, undoynge, ondoynge; equivalent to undo + -ing.
From Middle English undoynge, undoand, from Old English undōnde (“undoing”), from Proto-Germanic andadōndz, present participle of andadōną (“to undo”). Cognate with Dutch ontdoend (“undoing”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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