brought this upon yourself

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "brought this upon yourself" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used as a reprimand or to criticize someone for their own mistakes or misfortunes. For example: "You shouldn't have cheated on your taxes - you've brought this upon yourself."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

You brought this upon yourself.

Vice

"You brought this upon yourself," Emily Carranza, the boy's cousin, said of the social workers.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"He brought this upon himself".

The New York Times

We brought this upon ourselves.

The New York Times - Tech

1. Trump has, in many ways, brought this upon himself.

The Washington Post

"The church has brought this upon itself," he said.

The New York Times

No one in America is willing to say we have brought this upon ourselves.

The Economist

As I've said again and again, watchmakers brought this upon themselves.

TechCrunch

But I had brought this upon myself.

Huffington Post

Don't feel bad, they brought this upon themselves.

WikiHow

With all my soul I regret this necessity and shrink from it, but you have brought it upon yourself".

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "brought this upon yourself" when you want to directly express that someone is responsible for a negative situation they are experiencing, usually as a consequence of their own actions or decisions.

Common error

Avoid using "brought this upon yourself" when the negative situation is clearly not the fault of the person being addressed. Ensure the connection between their actions and the outcome is direct and evident.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "brought this upon yourself" functions as an idiomatic expression used to assign blame and emphasize personal responsibility for a negative situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is a straightforward way to indicate that someone's actions have directly resulted in their current predicament.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "brought this upon yourself" is a common idiom used to express that someone is responsible for a negative situation they are experiencing. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically correct way to convey that someone's actions have directly led to their current problems. While the phrase is used across various contexts, it's particularly common in news and media. When using this phrase, be mindful of the directness and potential for it to be perceived as unsympathetic. Alternatives like "have only yourself to blame" or "are responsible for this outcome" might be more appropriate in certain contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

brought it on yourself

Slightly more concise version, maintaining the same meaning.

have only yourself to blame

Directly places blame on the person experiencing the negative consequence.

this is of your own doing

Emphasizes that the situation is a direct result of one's own actions or choices.

invited this upon yourself

Focuses on the act of inviting or causing the situation through one's actions.

made your own bed

Implies that one must now deal with the consequences of their choices.

asked for this

A more informal way of saying someone is responsible for their misfortune.

created this situation for yourself

Highlights the active role in creating the problematic situation.

are responsible for this outcome

A more formal and direct way of assigning responsibility.

dug your own grave

Figurative language emphasizing the seriousness of the self-inflicted problem.

reaped what you sowed

Uses the metaphor of reaping and sowing to indicate consequences of actions.

FAQs

What does "brought this upon yourself" mean?

The phrase "brought this upon yourself" means that someone is experiencing negative consequences as a direct result of their own actions or decisions. It implies responsibility and blame for the situation.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "brought this upon yourself"?

It's appropriate to use "brought this upon yourself" when someone's actions clearly and directly led to their current predicament. It is often used as a reprimand or a statement of fact rather than a sympathetic remark.

What are some alternatives to saying "brought this upon yourself"?

You can use alternatives like "have only yourself to blame", "asked for this", or "brought it on yourself", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "brought this upon yourself" considered a formal or informal expression?

"Brought this upon yourself" is generally considered a neutral to slightly informal expression. It's suitable for everyday conversation but might be too direct for very formal settings. In such cases, more formal alternatives like "you are responsible for this outcome" may be more appropriate.