self-sabotage

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From self- +‎ sabotage.

Noun

self-sabotage (uncountable)

  1. The sabotaging, whether consciously or subconsciously, of oneself, one's own interests, plans etc.
    • 2022 September 14, Arthur Neslen, quoting Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “Health groups call for global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty”, in The Guardian‎[1]:
      “The modern addiction to fossil fuels is not just an act of environmental vandalism. From the health perspective, it is an act of self-sabotage,” said the WHO president, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Verb

self-sabotage (third-person singular simple present self-sabotages, present participle self-sabotaging, simple past and past participle self-sabotaged)

  1. (transitive) To sabotage oneself or one's own plans.
    • 2011, Greg Bennett, Self Sabotage:
      Before we even get started trying to explain this complicated concept of why we self-sabotage our own success, please understand that I am at best an “armchair doctor”.
    • 2019, Justin Blackburn, The Bisexual Christian Suburban Failure Enlightening Bipolar Blues, page 18:
      If your Inner Child doesn't feel safe, worthy, it works within to self-sabotage you before you are even conscious of the pattern
    • 2025 April 28, Madeline Holcombe, “It might be time to ‘reparent’ yourself. Here’s how to get started”, in CNN‎[2]:
      “So many of us are shaming ourselves or hating on ourselves, and then that shame and hate makes us want to numb out, and then we go self-sabotage and engage in something that is maybe indulging in some way,” Johnson said.

See also

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