self-fulfilling

adjective

self-ful·​fill·​ing ˌself-fu̇l-ˈfi-liŋ 

1

: becoming real or true by virtue of having been predicted or expected

a self-fulfilling prophecy

2

: marked by or achieving self-fulfillment

Examples of self-fulfilling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Effective altruism’s prophecy of AI risk could be self-fulfilling. — Jason Willick, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2026

Police chief Fuller is correct — talking down a place can be self-fulfilling. — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

In my experience, those negative self-beliefs often become self-fulfilling prophecies unless they’re challenged head-on. — CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026

The opposition to Prop 40 may in some ways be a self-fulfilling prophecy, as billionaires including Brin shift business entities out of California in favor of states without similar wealth taxes. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for self-fulfilling

• backfilling
• distilling
• fulfilling
• infilling
• instilling
• refilling
• sawmilling
• unwilling
• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• filling