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
For EVs, this can be self-defeating, as more range demands bigger batteries, which demands more weight, which demands more power, which demands bigger batteries, and so on.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 29 May 2025
Sharpened in purpose by his criminal prosecutions and near death at the hands of a would-be assassin, Trump 47 would not be lost in a welter of self-defeating distractions the way Trump 45 had been.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 25 Apr. 2025
Many therapists now prioritize validation over challenging patients to face hard truths and change self-defeating behaviors.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Jon Hamm, April 12 Hamm, hosting for the fourth time, was spot-on with turns as a self-defeating game show contestant and a police officer obsessed with pizza.
—Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-defeating
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Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 29 May 2025
Sharpened in purpose by his criminal prosecutions and near death at the hands of a would-be assassin, Trump 47 would not be lost in a welter of self-defeating distractions the way Trump 45 had been.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 25 Apr. 2025
Many therapists now prioritize validation over challenging patients to face hard truths and change self-defeating behaviors.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Jon Hamm, April 12 Hamm, hosting for the fourth time, was spot-on with turns as a self-defeating game show contestant and a police officer obsessed with pizza.
—Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 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 12 Jun. 2025.
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