sabotage
B2Formal/Informal (common in news, politics, business, and everyday conflict contexts)
Definition
Meaning
The deliberate destruction, damage, or obstruction of something, especially for political, military, or industrial advantage.
To deliberately undermine, ruin, or prevent the success of a plan, project, relationship, or system.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically implies intentional, malicious, and covert action. Can be used literally (physical destruction) or metaphorically (undermining efforts). Often carries a strong negative moral judgment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Equally strong negative connotations in both varieties. Associated with espionage, industrial disputes, and betrayal.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
sabotage + NOUN (direct object)sabotage + POSSESSIVE + NOUN (e.g., sabotage his chances)BE + sabotaged + BY + AGENT (passive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sabotage from within”
- “a sabotage job (on something)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to deliberate actions by employees or competitors to damage operations, data, or reputation.
Academic
Used in political science, history, and sociology to describe covert destructive actions by states or groups.
Everyday
Commonly used metaphorically for relationship conflicts or self-defeating behaviour (e.g., 'sabotaging your own diet').
Technical
In engineering/security, denotes physical or cyber attacks on infrastructure.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Protesters were accused of trying to sabotage the railway line.
- She didn't want to sabotage her team's chances of winning the cup.
American English
- Hackers attempted to sabotage the company's database.
- He sabotaged the negotiations by leaking confidential documents.
adverb
British English
- The system failed, seemingly sabotaged deliberately. (Note: 'sabotagingly' is non-standard; adverbial meaning is typically conveyed with 'deliberately', 'maliciously').
American English
- The files were deleted sabotage-style, to cause maximum disruption. (Note: hyphenated compound adjective/adverb form).
adjective
British English
- The sabotage operation was highly sophisticated.
- They discovered a sabotage device attached to the vehicle.
American English
- The investigation focused on sabotage activity within the plant.
- Authorities warned of potential sabotage threats to the grid.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bad weather sabotaged our picnic plans.
- Someone sabotaged the computer system, and all the files were lost.
- The spy's mission was to sabotage the enemy's weapons factory.
- Her constant negativity ultimately sabotaged the collaborative spirit essential for the project's success.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SABOT (wooden shoe) being thrown into factory machinery to break it. SABOT + AGE = the act of throwing a sabot.
Conceptual Metaphor
SUCCESS IS A STRUCTURE / PROJECT IS A MACHINE (sabotage is breaking/damaging that machine).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "саботаж" which is a direct cognate and accurate. Be careful of false friends like "диверсия" which is closer to 'sabotage raid' or 'diversion'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for accidental damage (must be deliberate). Confusing it with 'boycott' or 'protest' which are not inherently destructive.
Practice
Quiz
Which scenario BEST illustrates the meaning of 'sabotage'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it's very common to use it metaphorically for plans, relationships, negotiations, or one's own efforts (e.g., 'self-sabotage').
No, it can be done by insiders (employees, team members) or even by oneself ('self-sabotage').
Vandalism is often random, senseless destruction. Sabotage is deliberate, targeted, and has a strategic goal (to weaken, stop, or gain advantage).
Yes, it is most commonly used as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'an act of sabotage', 'industrial sabotage'). It is not typically pluralized as 'sabotages'.