as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
an intractable drug habit proved to be her sad undoing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in paralyzing
to deprive of courage or confidence
the sudden shriek undid the campers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfastening
to disengage the knotted parts of
undo a tangled shoelace
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3
as in bothering
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the mere mention of the home invasion still had the power to undo her
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of undoing
Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
As for any salt, fresh water is its quiet undoing.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
Nicolas Johnson-Smith, Baltimore Sun, 2 Jan. 2026
The agency subsequently began undoing the terminations.
—Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for undoing
Noun
Constance’s scheming is beginning to cause her own undoing.
—Verb
Dedicated Baltimoreans have spent their days and nights for the past 20 years undoing that reputation and trying to prove that Baltimore, a Black city, is a promising place.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for undoing
Noun
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The rise and fall of Urban Communities Outlier pieced together the events that led to Urban Communities’ downfall largely through court records and filings at the Wayne County Register of Deeds.—
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Demonstrators have been calling for the Iranian regime's downfall and systemic change as a first step to reclaiming freedom and dignity.—
Verb
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At the end of his first year as CEO, a blizzard known as Winter Storm Elliott triggered an operational meltdown, stranding thousands of Southwest customers at the height of the holiday season, paralyzing the company’s point-to-point network, and plunging the company into a profit-killing crisis.—
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No matter the scenario, Victor portrays PTSD as a paralyzing force with accuracy and grace—an all-too-rare combination.—
Verb
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Ibrahim keeps bothering me endlessly, touching my leg and thigh.—
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Ask her if anything is bothering her.—
Noun
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Since the boycott, PEN has donated to Palestinian aid organizations, highlighted writers and journalists who have been targeted and killed by Israel, and released a report on the deliberate destruction of Palestinian cultural heritage.—
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Consumers and retailers should destroy affected products and not return them, as Gold Star will issue refunds with proof of destruction.—
Verb
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
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Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Verb
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Writing essays, in the same way, lubricates my writing of fiction and vice versa—by distracting me and taking my thoughts elsewhere.—
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The glare from the sun had been reflecting in the lenses and distracting Smith.—
Verb
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After scaring off the animal, one of the hikers, a physician, attempted to revive Kovatch, but did not find a pulse.—
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Talk openly about world events—without scaring them Even young children absorb bits of information about conflict, violence, and disaster—whether through classmates, TV in a waiting room, or overheard adult conversations.—
Verb
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They’re made from Lee’s stretchy denim blend that’s designed to move with you without loosening throughout the day.—
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And in November, OpenAI signed its first cloud contract with Amazon Web Services, further loosening Microsoft's once exclusive grip.—
Cite this Entry
“Undoing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undoing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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