to sabotage
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to sabotage
To deliberately disrupt, damage, or destroy something in order to hinder or prevent a process, action, or function. This often happens secretly or for political, military, or personal motives.
Die feindlichen Agenten versuchten, die wichtige Versorgungsbrücke zu sabotieren.
The enemy agents tried to sabotage the important supply bridge.
to sabotage
In a figurative sense, to deliberately undermine a person's efforts, plans, or success. You consciously work against someone in order to make their undertaking fail.
Er hat das Gefühl, dass seine Kollegen seine Arbeit sabotieren, um ihn schlecht dastehen zu lassen.
He feels that his colleagues are sabotaging his work in order to make him look bad.
'Sabotieren' (to sabotage) is a verb ending in '-ieren'. These verbs are regular and form the past participle without 'ge-'. So it is 'hat sabotiert' (has sabotaged).
Jemand hat die Bremsen des Fahrrads sabotiert.
Someone sabotaged the bicycle's brakes.
The verb 'sabotieren' (to sabotage) is transitive and always needs an accusative object. You ask: Whom or what is being sabotaged?
Die Gruppe wollte den Bau des neuen Kraftwerks sabotieren.
The group wanted to sabotage the construction of the new power plant.
In the literal meaning, the objects are often technical facilities or processes. Typical examples are: 'eine Maschine sabotieren' (to sabotage a machine), 'die Produktion sabotieren' (to sabotage production), or 'eine Operation sabotieren' (to sabotage an operation).
Der Spion sollte die Computer-Systeme des Feindes sabotieren.
The spy was supposed to sabotage the enemy's computer systems.
You can recognize the figurative meaning when the object is abstract. In that case, one sabotages 'Pläne' (plans), 'Bemühungen' (efforts), 'eine Beziehung' (a relationship), or 'eine Diät' (a diet).
Mit diesem ungesunden Essen sabotierst du deine ganze Diät.
With this unhealthy food, you're sabotaging your whole diet.
The reflexive expression 'sich selbst sabotieren' (to sabotage oneself) is very common. It means that someone prevents their own success through their own behavior.
Durch seine ständige Prokrastination sabotiert er sich nur selbst.
Through his constant procrastination, he is only sabotaging himself.
to undermine
Untergraben and sabotieren both describe deliberate action against a project or undertaking. Untergraben emphasizes the slow, often secret weakening of its foundation. Sabotieren highlights concrete actions intended to disrupt the process or make the undertaking fail.
Durch das heimliche Löschen wichtiger Dateien sabotiert er das gemeinsame Projekt.
By secretly deleting important files, he is sabotaging the joint project.
Mit wiederholten Zweifeln untergräbt er langsam das Vertrauen in das gemeinsame Projekt.
By repeatedly expressing doubts, he is slowly undermining trust in the joint project.
