self-sabotage

English

Alternative forms

• self sabotage, selfsabotage

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

See also

• be one's own worst enemy