destabilize
verb
de·sta·bi·lize
(ˌ)dē-ˈstā-bə-ˌlīz 
destabilized; destabilizing; destabilizes
1
: to make unstable
2
: to cause (something, such as a government) to be incapable of functioning or surviving
Examples of destabilize in a Sentence
The group hoped the assassination of the new President would destabilize the government.
Economists warn that the crisis could destabilize the nation's currency.
Recent Examples on the Web
Historically, instability on the Korean Peninsula has tended to spill over into China, and an influx of refugees could destabilize China’s northeast and potentially much more.
—
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024
Moving animals between populations can also spread disease, create new invasive populations or destabilize ecosystems in unpredictable ways.
—Emily Anthes Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024
The 9/11 attacks and the wars that followed fundamentally rearranged the American national-security apparatus, destabilized the Middle East, and left lasting scars on the American body politic.
—Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
But that could also add stress to the financial sector and in turn destabilize the economy.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The planetary freshwater system was destabilized by the middle of the twentieth century.
—Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
War zones and destabilized countries, however, are a whole different situation.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation warning Wednesday morning for Big Sur communities ahead of the anticipated showers and thunderstorms, which officials worry could further destabilize or damage the roadway — the only route in or out for almost 1,400 residents.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
But during the Gold Rush, colonizers altered vegetation and destabilized riverbanks with grazing, at times draining meadows to make way for different land uses.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024
Moving animals between populations can also spread disease, create new invasive populations or destabilize ecosystems in unpredictable ways.
—Emily Anthes Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024
The 9/11 attacks and the wars that followed fundamentally rearranged the American national-security apparatus, destabilized the Middle East, and left lasting scars on the American body politic.
—Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
But that could also add stress to the financial sector and in turn destabilize the economy.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The planetary freshwater system was destabilized by the middle of the twentieth century.
—Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
War zones and destabilized countries, however, are a whole different situation.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation warning Wednesday morning for Big Sur communities ahead of the anticipated showers and thunderstorms, which officials worry could further destabilize or damage the roadway — the only route in or out for almost 1,400 residents.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
But during the Gold Rush, colonizers altered vegetation and destabilized riverbanks with grazing, at times draining meadows to make way for different land uses.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'destabilize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near destabilize
Cite this Entry
“Destabilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destabilize. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
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