Self-defeating

Pronunciation varies by accent · adjective

Meaning

(of a plan, action) Containing elements that will cause it to fail; destined not to succeed by its very nature..

Example Sentences

Cutting off your nose to spite your face is self-defeating.

[...] to make commuter operations profitable, a 70 per cent fare rise would be necessary. The president admitted that an increase of this magnitude would be self-defeating and suggested that the commuter himself should not have to bear the whole burden because the service was not exclusively for his benefit, but largely for that of the community concerned.

General reading readiness is assessed by tests and is also estimated by teachers who are often skillful at discerning just when a pupil is ready to learn to read. The important thing to remember is that jumping the gun is usually self-defeating.

The strike will win few friends as the capital tries to woo commuters and shoppers back after the pandemic. And the fewer the people using the Tube, the lower the fare revenue. The lower the fare revenue, the sterner the job cuts could be. Many people therefore see the industrial action as self-defeating.

Synonyms for self-defeating

Antonyms for self-defeating

Related Words

Word Forms

• more self-defeating
• most self-defeating

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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