Also means
to mine
Usage Note
Minar literally means to lay mines or to excavate, but its dominant modern use is figurative: to gradually weaken or undermine something (minar la confianza, 'to undermine trust'). The image of tunnelling underneath to cause collapse is built into the metaphor. It implies slow, hidden erosion rather than an open attack — compare socavar, a near-synonym.
Examples
"Sus críticas minaron la moral del equipo."
Natural Translation
His criticism undermined the team's morale.

Free starter pack
Building your Spanish vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore Spanish by topic
SpanishNow
6 min read