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, 23 June 2025 Some individuals’ self-destructive dependence on AI to make sense of the world through religious prophecy, sci-fi technobabble, conspiracy theories, or all of the above has led to family rifts, divorces, and gradual alienation from society itself. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025 Without proper management, these emotional stresses can lead to poor financial decisions and self-destructive behaviors. Georgette Virgo, USA Today, 19 June 2025 Yet now that substantial success seems to have given birth to a self-destructive fantasy. Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 17 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-destructive. Accessed 30 Jun. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!