undermines the objective

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "undermines the objective" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing actions or behaviors that weaken or threaten a specific goal or purpose. Example: "His constant criticism undermines the objective of fostering a collaborative team environment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Ali Saad, the education minister, is reported to have told teachers that the niqab undermines the "objective, secular methodology" of Syria's schools.Religious radicals have long been the biggest threat to Syria's Baathist government and its secular socialism.

The Economist

Allowing Twitter, or any other similarly situated company, to only disclose national security requests within an overly broad range seriously undermines the objective of transparency.

TechCrunch

More generally, it can be shown that the incorporation into a belief function Q of almost any kind of evidence for or against the truth of a prospective evidence claim e — even uncertain evidence for e, as may come through Jeffrey updating — completely undermines the objective or inter-subjectively agreed likelihoods that a belief function might have expressed before updating.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

To do so would undermine the objective importance of consent.

The Guardian - Opinion

This would either shift the burden to different low-income families or undermine the objective of making work pay.

The Guardian

215, 546 P.2d 719, with regard to the need to apply California law relating to the liability of tavern owners to the out-of-state tavern owner at issue in that case, the failure to apply California law in the present context seriously would undermine the objective and purpose of the statute.

Harvard University

But their real goal always has been to undermine the objective evaluation of grant applications via government agency peer reviews and substitute political judgments from Capitol Hill.

Los Angeles Times

The federal police wrote in its submission: "It is of serious concern to the AFP that the overlay of PID Act processes and requirements with other oversight and integrity arrangements may actually undermine the objectives of the PID Act and frustrate the resolution of matters".

The Guardian

An injection of realism from the British Medical Association (BMA) to politicians is necessary to stop the destruction of the NHS, and we need to keep cautioning Hunt to stop chasing spurious projects that can only undermine the objectives of this publicly funded body and the morale of its workforce.

The Guardian

The Democratic Party's intent was not to undermine the objectives of scientific research, but to find "more effective ways to use tax monies to achieve those goals," he said.

Science Magazine

This dual role, we argue, has the potential to undermine the objectives of the patient-centred project in one-on-one CE.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the intensity of the impact. If the action completely negates the objective, stronger verbs like "nullifies" or "defeats" might be more appropriate than "undermines".

Common error

While grammatically correct, "undermines the objective" can sound overly formal in casual conversations. In less formal settings, consider alternatives like "messes up the goal" or "gets in the way of what we're trying to do".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "undermines the objective" functions as a verb phrase, where "undermines" is the verb indicating the action of weakening or hindering, and "the objective" is the direct object, specifying what is being weakened. According to Ludwig, this usage is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "undermines the objective" is a grammatically sound expression used to indicate that something is weakening or hindering a specific goal. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While relatively infrequent in overall usage, it appears across diverse contexts such as news, science, and academia, signaling its adaptability in formal to neutral registers. Related phrases include "thwarts the goal" and "weakens the purpose", offering alternative ways to convey similar meanings. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity in specifying what's being undermined and the nature of the objective itself.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

thwarts the goal

Uses "thwarts" which implies active prevention rather than gradual weakening.

weakens the purpose

Replaces "objective" with "purpose" and "undermines" with "weakens", simplifying the language.

hinders the intent

Substitutes "objective" with "intent" and "undermines" with "hinders", focusing on the intended outcome.

sabotages the aim

"Sabotages" suggests intentional disruption, implying a deliberate act.

jeopardizes the target

Employs "jeopardizes" to indicate risk and "target" for a specific aim.

compromises the mission

Uses "compromises" to denote a reduction in quality or effectiveness and "mission" for a specific task.

detracts from the ambition

"Detracts" indicates a reduction in value or importance, and "ambition" implies a strong desire for achievement.

erodes the principle

"Erodes" suggests a gradual wearing away, while "principle" focuses on a foundational belief.

counteracts the design

"Counteracts" suggests active opposition and "design" implies a planned outcome.

negates the value

"Negates" means to nullify or make ineffective, while "value" emphasizes worth or importance.

FAQs

How can I use "undermines the objective" in a sentence?

Use "undermines the objective" to describe actions or situations that weaken or hinder a specific goal. For example, "His constant negativity "undermines the objective" of team morale".

What are some alternatives to "undermines the objective"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "thwarts the goal", "weakens the purpose", or "hinders the intent".

Is "undermines the objective" appropriate for formal writing?

Yes, "undermines the objective" is suitable for formal writing, such as academic papers, business reports, and official documents.

What's the difference between "undermines the objective" and "sabotages the aim"?

"Undermines the objective" suggests a gradual weakening, while "sabotages the aim" implies a more deliberate and destructive action.