self-defeating
adjective
self-de·feat·ing
ˌself-di-ˈfē-tiŋ 
-dē-
: serving or tending to defeat oneself or itself : counterproductive: such as
a
: acting to defeat its own purpose
a self-defeating argument
You kind of realize that violence can be a self-defeating strategy, because it just gives the other guy an incentive to attack you back in revenge.—
Stephen Pinker
Stephen Pinker
b
: being or involving an attitude of defeatism
Procrastinators tend to be more stressed than other people—even before they start procrastinating. According to a recent study, that's possibly because they have self-defeating thoughts like, "I'm simply too stupid to benefit from more studying, so I'll just hang out on Facebook."—Shana Lebowitz
Shana LebowitzExamples of self-defeating in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The new National Geographic documentary Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story begins with a bit of a self-defeating joke.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 21 June 2025
But will self-defeating emotional patterns block their growth?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 18 June 2025
But the move can also be seen as yet another tack away from internationalism, and an indication of ultimately self-defeating contempt for international norms and institutions.
—Time, 17 June 2025
Without constraints, even from elites in the leader’s inner circle, personalist dictators are prone to military misadventures, erratic decisions, and self-defeating policies.
—Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-defeating
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.
Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 21 June 2025
But will self-defeating emotional patterns block their growth?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 18 June 2025
But the move can also be seen as yet another tack away from internationalism, and an indication of ultimately self-defeating contempt for international norms and institutions.
—Time, 17 June 2025
Without constraints, even from elites in the leader’s inner circle, personalist dictators are prone to military misadventures, erratic decisions, and self-defeating policies.
—Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-defeating
Cite this Entry
“Self-defeating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-defeating. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share