self-defeating

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self-defeating

Where it comes from

From self- + defeating (present participle of defeat).

adjective more self-defeating · most self-defeating

of a plan Containing elements that will cause it to fail; destined not to succeed by its very nature. Cutting off your nose to spite your face is self-defeating.
Similar: cutting off one's nose to spite one's face

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MLA

"self-defeating." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/self-defeating. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

self-defeating. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/self-defeating

Chicago

"self-defeating." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/self-defeating.

BibTeX

@misc{self_defeating_2026,
  title = {self-defeating},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/self-defeating},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}