undermine confidence

Meaning

To gradually weaken or destroy trust, belief, or self-assurance, whether in a system, a market, a leader, or oneself. In business, it often refers to actions or events that make investors, clients, or employees lose faith in a company's stability or future.

Examples

• The sudden resignation of the CFO could seriously undermine investor confidence.

  The sudden resignation of the CFO could seriously undermine investor confidence.

• Repeatedly pointing out minor mistakes will only undermine confidence within the team.

  Repeatedly pointing out minor mistakes will only undermine confidence within the team.

• A failure to address these security flaws will undermine confidence in our software.

  A failure to address these security flaws will undermine confidence in our software.

• The negative press coverage threatened to undermine public confidence in the banking sector.

  The negative press coverage threatened to undermine public confidence in the banking sector.

• We must act quickly to resolve this issue before we undermine confidence among our key clients.

  We must act quickly to resolve this issue before we undermine confidence among our key clients.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ This scandal will undermine the confidence on our brand.

  ✓ This scandal will undermine confidence in our brand.

  We have confidence 'in' something, not 'on' or 'to' something.

• ✗ The bad news undermined of our confidence.

  ✓ The bad news undermined our confidence.

  'Undermine' is a transitive verb and takes a direct object without the preposition 'of'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Delays in product delivery will eventually ___ in our brand.

  💡 weaken trust

  Show answer

  undermine confidence

• Harsh criticism from leadership can quickly ___ among junior staff.

  💡 damage self-assurance or belief

  Show answer

  undermine confidence