self-fulfilling

adjective

self-ful·​fill·​ing ˌself-fu̇l-ˈfi-liŋ How to pronounce self-fulfilling (audio)
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
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By calling Powell 'Mr. Too Late,' the President may have created a self-fulfilling prophecy. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 8 May 2025 Their campaign of misinformation then becomes a self-fulfilling loop: The Empire building an armory on Ghorman is necessary because the Ghor threat is so great; the Empire denigrating a Ghor memorial to unarmed protesters massacred by Grand Moff Tarkin is what this uppity planet deserves. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2025 Pessimism can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, although in this case, given the current level of uncertainty, the dangers of trade war(s), and the likelihood that some significantly higher tariffs will survive, that seems superfluous. The Editors, National Review, 1 May 2025 Long wait times became a self-fulfilling prophecy In recent weeks, news of the turmoil at Social Security mobilized fretful Americans to telephone or visit the agency, seeding further chaos. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-fulfilling

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-fulfilling was in 1832

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Cite this Entry

“Self-fulfilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-fulfilling. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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