# undoing

/ənˈduɪŋ/ (US) · /ʌndˈuːɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/undoing
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. cause of ruin

noun · CEFR B2

the reason why someone fails or loses their power or success.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. unfastening

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of opening or loosening something that is tied or closed.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. reversal

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of cancelling or changing a previous decision or action.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- His pride was his eventual undoing.
- The politician's refusal to listen to his advisors proved to be his undoing during the election.
- While the company had dominated the market for decades, its failure to adapt to digital trends became its ultimate undoing as more agile competitors emerged.

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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.