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.
The picture evolves around an overweight Lebanese man, called Walid, whose unresolved childhood trauma has set him on a self-destructive path. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025 Without an internal moral compass, our youth remain vulnerable to dangerous influences, not to mention peer pressure, the empty validation of social media and other self-destructive behaviors. Yanky Baron, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2025 Though the film itself received mixed reviews, Kilmer’s committed performance as the self-destructive rocker who epitomized the psychedelic excesses of the 1960s was widely praised. Lindsey Bahr, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025 Your husband is addicted to alcohol and nicotine and is self-destructive. Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 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 24 Apr. 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
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