Undoing: meaning, definitions and examples

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undoing

 

[ ˌʌnˈduːɪŋ ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

mental health

The process of reversing the effects of a traumatic experience or negative emotions through therapy, self-reflection, or other coping mechanisms. Undoing involves acknowledging past harm and making efforts to heal and move forward.

Synonyms

healing, recovery, reversal.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
undoing

This is a repetition; refer to the first entry.

  • His dishonesty was his undoing.
  • The politician’s scandal led to her undoing.
reversal

Typically used when there is a significant change in direction or course, such as changing a decision or outcome.

  • The court's reversal of the previous ruling was unexpected.
  • There has been a reversal in policy regarding environmental regulations.
recovery

Used to indicate the process of regaining health, strength, or a normal state after illness, injury, or a difficult experience.

  • His recovery from the flu took a week.
  • The company is showing signs of financial recovery.
healing

Often used in the context of physical, emotional, or psychological recovery from injury or trauma.

  • After the surgery, she focused on her healing.
  • Time is an essential element in emotional healing.

Examples of usage

  • She found undoing to be a crucial step in her recovery from the traumatic event.
  • Undoing past conditioning requires patience and self-awareness.
Context #2 | Verb

action

To reverse or cancel the effects of a previous action or decision. It can also refer to the act of correcting a mistake or rectifying a wrong.

Synonyms

cancel, correct, reverse.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
undoing

Used when referring to the action that undoes or nullifies a previous action or result. It often implies that the previous action had a negative consequence or failure.

  • His obsession with gambling was his undoing.
  • The scandal was the undoing of his career.
reverse

Used when something is turned in the opposite direction or changed back to a previous state. It can also refer to undoing a decision or action.

  • They had to reverse the order because of a shipping error.
  • The new policy was reversed due to public outcry.
cancel

Used when stopping an event, order, or activity that was planned or ongoing. It implies that the event will not occur or continue.

  • They decided to cancel the meeting due to bad weather.
  • I need to cancel my subscription before the next billing cycle.
correct

Used when fixing a mistake or error. It implies that something was inaccurate or wrong and needs to be made right.

  • Please correct your homework before submitting it.
  • She corrected the spelling errors in the document.

Examples of usage

  • He tried undoing the damage by apologizing and offering to help.
  • The software allows users to undo their last few actions.

Translations

Translations of the word "undoing" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desfazer

🇮🇳 पूर्व स्थिति में लाना

🇩🇪 Rückgängigmachung

🇮🇩 membatalkan

🇺🇦 скасування

🇵🇱 cofnięcie

🇯🇵 元に戻す

🇫🇷 annulation

🇪🇸 deshacer

🇹🇷 geri alma

🇰🇷 되돌리기

🇸🇦 إلغاء

🇨🇿 vrácení zpět

🇸🇰 vrátenie

🇨🇳 撤销

🇸🇮 razveljavitev

🇮🇸 afturkalla

🇰🇿 кері қайтару

🇬🇪 გაუქმება

🇦🇿 ləğv

🇲🇽 deshacer

Etymology

The term 'undoing' originated from the Old English word 'undon', meaning 'to do away with'. Over time, it evolved to encompass the concept of reversing or canceling actions. In psychology, 'undoing' gained popularity as a term for the process of reversing the effects of traumatic experiences. It is now commonly used in both mental health contexts and everyday language to describe the act of rectifying past mistakes or actions.