French Conversation · Level 190
16 words
French word
saper
Pronunciation
IPA/sape/
Meaning
- verbweaken
Example
La décision a sapé l'effet du projet.
The decision weakened the project's effect.
More examples
Le manque de communication a sapé la cohésion de l'équipe.
The lack of communication undermined the team's cohesion.
Core concept
A support is dug away from underneath until the structure or its effect loses strength.
Common phrases
saper le moral
undermine morale
saper la confiance
undermine confidence
saper la crédibilité
undermine credibility
Similar words
affaiblir: To gradually weaken a force or effect.
compromettre: To put trust or safety at risk.
éroder: To gradually wear away a surface or support, making it weaker.
Definition in French
Rendre moins efficace ou moins fort quelque chose en attaquant ses bases, au sens propre ou au sens figuré.
Word origin
French saper comes from Italian zappare, meaning to dig with a hoe, and its early military use referred to undermining a structure.
Usage tips
- Saper is directly transitive, so the weakened thing follows the verb without a preposition, as in saper un projet.
Other meanings
- undermineverb
Opposites
- renforcerstrengthenverb
- consoliderconsolidateverb
Related words
- sapéunderminedadjective