Undercut

UK: /ˌʌndə^rˈkʌt/

US: /ˌʌndɚˈkʌt/

US: (v. un′dər kut′, un′dər kut′; n., adj., un′dər kut′)

Inflections of 'undercut' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

undercuts

v 3rd person singular

undercutting

v pres p

undercut

v past

undercut

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

un•der•cut /ˌʌndɚˈkʌt/   v. [~ + object] , -cut, -cut•ting. 

1. to cut under or beneath.
2. to weaken or destroy the impact or effectiveness of;
   undermine:
   They undercut all his efforts to reform the system.
3. Business to offer goods or services at a lower price or rate than (a competitor).

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

un•der•cut  (v. un′dər kut′, un′dər kut′;n., adj., un′dər kut′), v., -cut, -cut•ting, n., adj. 
v.t. 

1. to cut under or beneath.
2. Fine Art to cut away material from so as to leave a portion overhanging, as in carving or sculpture.
3. Business to offer goods or services at a lower price or rate than (a competing price or rate) or than that of (a competitor).
4. to weaken or destroy the impact or effectiveness of;
   undermine.
5. Sport [Golf.] to hit (the ball) so as to cause a backspin.
6. Sport [Tennis.] to slice (the ball) using an underhand motion.
7. to cut (a sound recording) with grooves too shallow or with insufficient lateral motion of the stylus.
8. [Forestry.] to cut a notch in (a tree) in order to control the direction in which the tree is to fall.

v.i. 

9. to undercut material, a competitor, a ball, etc.

n. 

10. a cut or a cutting away underneath.
11. a notch cut in a tree to determine the direction in which the tree is to fall and to prevent splitting.
12. Sport [Golf.] a backspin.
13. Sport [Tennis.] a slice or cut made with an underhand motion.
14. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] a tenderloin of beef including the fillet.
15. Dentistry a tooth cavity prepared with a wide base for anchoring a filling securely.

adj. 

16. having or resulting from an undercut.

• 1350–1400; Middle English undercutten to cut down; see under-, cut

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

undercut verb / ˌʌndəˈkʌt ˈʌndəˌkʌt/ ( -cuts, -cutting, -cut)

1. to charge less than (a competitor) in order to obtain trade
2. to cut away the under part of (something)
3. to hit (a ball) in such a way as to impart backspin

noun / ˈʌndəˌkʌt/

1. the act or an instance of cutting underneath
2. a part that is cut away underneath
3. a tenderloin of beef, including the fillet
4. a notch cut in a tree trunk, to ensure a clean break in felling
5. a stroke that imparts backspin to the ball