self-destructive

adjective

self-de·​struc·​tive ˌself-di-ˈstrək-tiv How to pronounce self-destructive (audio)
: acting or tending to harm or destroy oneself
self-destructive behavior
also : suicidal
a self-destructive impulse
self-destructiveness noun

Examples of self-destructive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rather, the two wrote, the downgrades were the result of a self-destructive scheme by electric companies to undermine Gillett by arranging with ratings agencies to reduce their own credit worthiness. Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025 In her intimate and action-packed memoir, Ramsey wrestles with the power of fire to both destroy and renew while confronting her own internal struggles and self-destructive patterns. Kelly Ramsey, Outside Online, 27 June 2025 But Mann’s biopic about Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) is less about cars and more about racing and one’s self-destructive drive to be the best. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025 The distance also makes Crisis Kid a chance for Corbin, an infamous recluse, to reintroduce himself after years of anxiety, paranoia, and self-destructive behavior intensified by drugs and alcohol. Eamon Whalen, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-destructive

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-destructive was in 1641

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Cite this Entry

“Self-destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-destructive. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

self-destructive

adjective
self-de·​struc·​tive -ˈstrək-tiv How to pronounce self-destructive (audio)
: acting or tending to harm or destroy oneself
self-destructive behavior
also : suicidal
self-destructively adverb
self-destructiveness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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