Synonyms

undergo

American

[uhn-der-goh] / ˌʌn dərˈgoʊ /

verb (used with object)

to be subjected to; experience; pass through.

to undergo surgery.

Antonyms:

avoid
to endure; sustain; suffer.

to undergo sustained deprivation.

Synonyms:

tolerate, bear

undergo British

/ ˌʌndəˈɡəʊ /

verb

(tr) to experience, endure, or sustain

to undergo a dramatic change of feelings

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What is another way to say undergo? To undergo something is to be subjected to or to endure that thing. How does undergo differ from experience? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

undergoer

noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of undergo

First recorded before 1000; Middle English undergon, Old English undergān. See under-, go ¹

Explanation

Undergo means "endure until something is complete." You might undergo testing to check your hearing or undergo special training if you want to volunteer at a homeless shelter. The verb undergo means "experience" or "undertake." It is often used to describe medical procedures, such as, an injured quarterback who will undergo shoulder surgery. The word implies that it is something that has to happen so that a positive change occurs, like healing in the case of the quarterback or greater communication skills for a hot-tempered person who undergoes anger management training.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing undergo

Word Generation Weekly - Series 3

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Red Umbrella

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

“On Civil Disobedience” by Mohandas K. Gandhi

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One possibility is that infected dogs entering the U.S. and Canada were not required to undergo deworming treatment.

From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026

Those women instead undergo a breast imaging procedure every six months and a physical exam.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

That contingency plan would involve hiring replacement workers who would have to undergo the same detailed accreditation procedures demanded by FIFA, plus job training.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

Rob said he flew back to Australia and was the first in the country to undergo robotic surgery in a single-port operation.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

I didn’t think my skin could get any redder than it was, but I was pretty sure I had started glowing like a protostar about to undergo its first burst of fusion.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023