destabilize
Other forms: destabilizing; destabilized; destabilizes
To destabilize something is to undermine it, or to make it much less stable. Seeming uncertain or confused can destabilize a teacher's ability to control a class.
Political protesters might seek to destabilize a government or other institution, and lying to your best friend can destabilize your relationship. In both cases, the underlying stability of a situation is shaken, or made less sturdy. The earliest use of destabilize was in a physical sense, if something was literally unstable or shaky. By the 1920s, the word came to also have a more political meaning.
-
make unstable
-
become unstable“The economy destabilized rapidly”
-
synonyms:
destabilise
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing destabilize
In this memoir, Gansworth explores his experiences growing up on a Native American reservation.
Look up destabilize for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
