undermined confidence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "undermined confidence" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone's trust or belief in something has been weakened or diminished. Example: "The scandal surrounding the company has severely undermined confidence among its investors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

It also undermined confidence in the sport.

The New York Times - Sports

This further undermined confidence and deepened the slump.

The New Yorker

That may strain public sympathy.The dispute has undermined confidence in Argentina's economic revival.

The Economist

See article Two electronic-trading mishaps further undermined confidence in automated markets.

The Economist

This deficit has undermined confidence in the currency, the kwacha, which plummeted last year.

The Economist

Some might worry that these tweets have presented scientists as hapless and undermined confidence in science.

The Guardian

Some biotech executives said privately that ProdiGene's behavior undermined confidence in the entire industry.

The New York Times

At the time, many critics said their secretive creation undermined confidence in the legislative process.

The New York Times

Exaggerations of this kind have undermined confidence in Chinese policy at a particularly dangerous time.

The Guardian - Business

He said the losses, and the subsequent capital increase, had undermined confidence in the leadership team.

The Guardian - Business

An independent review by parliament's education committee concluded that this move undermined confidence in the watchdog.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "undermined confidence", ensure the context clearly indicates what the confidence is in (e.g., "undermined confidence in the government" or "undermined consumer confidence").

Common error

Avoid vaguely stating that something "undermined confidence" without specifying the direct cause. Instead of saying "the event undermined confidence", clarify it as "the event undermined confidence due to the lack of transparency".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "undermined confidence" functions primarily as a verb phrase where "undermined" is a transitive verb and "confidence" is the direct object. It describes an action that negatively affects or weakens a state of belief or trust. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable structure.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "undermined confidence" is a grammatically correct and widely used expression to describe the weakening of trust or belief in something. As Ludwig AI confirms, its structure is sound and suitable for various contexts. Predominantly found in news and media, it carries a neutral register suitable for professional communication. When using this phrase, clarity is essential: specify what the confidence pertains to. Alternatives such as "eroded trust" or "weakened faith" can offer similar meanings, depending on the intended nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eroded trust

This alternative directly replaces "confidence" with "trust" and "undermined" with "eroded", suggesting a gradual weakening.

weakened faith

This alternative exchanges "confidence" with "faith" and "undermined" with "weakened", implying a reduction in belief.

shattered credibility

This option replaces "confidence" with "credibility" and "undermined" with "shattered", indicating a more forceful destruction of belief.

damaged reputation

This alternative shifts the focus to the impact on someone's public image, replacing "confidence" with "reputation" and "undermined" with "damaged".

compromised reliability

This option substitutes "confidence" with "reliability" and "undermined" with "compromised", suggesting a reduction in dependability.

jeopardized assurance

This alternative replaces "confidence" with "assurance" and "undermined" with "jeopardized", emphasizing the risk to a guarantee.

destabilized certainty

This option uses more abstract terms, replacing "confidence" with "certainty" and "undermined" with "destabilized", highlighting a disruption of sureness.

lessened conviction

This alternative replaces "confidence" with "conviction" and "undermined" with "lessened", indicating a reduced strength of belief.

dented morale

This alternative focuses on emotional impact, replacing "confidence" with "morale" and "undermined" with "dented", highlighting a decrease in spirit.

shook belief

This alternative provides a more concise expression, swapping "confidence" for "belief" and "undermined" for "shook" suggesting a sudden impact.

FAQs

How can I use "undermined confidence" in a sentence?

You can use "undermined confidence" to describe situations where trust or belief in something has decreased. For example, "The scandal surrounding the CEO "undermined confidence" in the company's leadership".

What are some alternatives to "undermined confidence"?

Alternatives include "eroded trust", "weakened faith", or "shattered credibility", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What is the difference between "undermined confidence" and "destroyed confidence"?

"Undermined confidence" suggests a gradual weakening of trust, while "destroyed confidence" implies a more complete and immediate loss of trust. The choice depends on the severity of the situation you're describing.

Is it better to say "undermined confidence" or "reduced confidence"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "undermined confidence" suggests a more active and negative impact, whereas "reduced confidence" is more neutral. Use "undermined" when there's a sense of something actively working against trust.