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self‑destruction

/ˌsɛlf dɪˈstrʌkʃən/ · self·des·tru·ction
noun
  1. The act of causing one's own death, ruin, or severe harm, whether intentional or accidental. His pattern of self‑destruction culminated in a reckless binge that endangered everyone around him.
  2. A tendency or habit of sabotaging one's own interests or well‑being. She recognized her self‑destruction when she repeatedly quit promising jobs after a few weeks.

Synonyms

self‑annihilationself‑sabotagesuicideself‑harmself‑ruinself‑immolationself‑damageself‑defeat

Antonyms

self‑preservationself‑caresurvivalself‑protectionwell‑being
Did you know? The hyphenated form "self‑destruction" was popularized in the 1970s by a hip‑hop single titled "Self Destruction," which used the term to promote anti‑violence messages.

Related terms

self‑destructdestructionself‑harmself‑destruction (psychology)self‑destruction (technology)self‑destruction (military)
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor 2 lookups Added Jul 29, 2026