self-destruct

verb

self-de·​struct ˌself-di-ˈstrəkt How to pronounce self-destruct (audio)
self-destructed; self-destructing; self-destructs
Synonyms of self-destructnext

intransitive verb

: to destroy oneself or itself
self-destruct adjective

Examples of self-destruct 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.
Now, the material doesn’t just spontaneously self-destruct. New Atlas, 11 May 2026 In the summer of 1991, Pinatubo, a volcano in the Philippines, self-destructed. Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026 Researchers have developed a new type of plastic that can self-destruct on command. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026 In that kind of disaster scenario, the crew capsule separates to save the astronauts, and the rocket self-destructs to avoid risk to people on the ground in its flight path. Charlie Gile, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-destruct

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-destruct was in 1968

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Cite this Entry

“Self-destruct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-destruct. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

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