self defeating

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "self defeating" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe actions or beliefs that undermine one's own goals or intentions. For example, "His constant criticism of himself is self defeating." Alternative expressions include "counterproductive" and "self-sabotaging."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"It is utterly self defeating.

The Guardian

That's sort of self defeating," he adds.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

This dispute is self-defeating.

The Economist

Both moves are self-defeating.

The New York Times

But that speed may be self-defeating.

The New Yorker

To others, today's austerity is self-defeating.

The Economist

Hard-and-fast rules are self-defeating.

The Guardian - Opinion

But ultimately they are self-defeating.

The Guardian - Opinion

To impose Enlightenment freedoms is self-defeating.

The Guardian

These punitive policies are self-defeating.

The Guardian - Opinion

So the current stance seems self-defeating.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "self defeating" to describe logical loops where the means explicitly prevent the ends. It is particularly effective when critiquing economic policies or complex social behaviors.

Common error

Do not use this phrase to simply describe a task that is hard to complete. A task is only "self defeating" if the very act of trying to complete it makes it impossible to succeed. If a task is merely hard but logically sound, use terms like 'challenging' or 'onerous' instead.

Linguistic Context

Primarily functions as a compound adjective used to describe policies, behaviors, or strategies. According to Ludwig, it is most often used as a predicative adjective (e.g., 'it is "self defeating"') or as an attributive adjective preceding a noun (e.g., 'a "self defeating" strategy').

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "self defeating" is a powerful linguistic tool used to identify actions that contain the seeds of their own failure. Based on analysis from Ludwig, the phrase is a staple of analytical writing, appearing frequently in top-tier publications to describe economic, political, and social paradoxes. It is grammatically reliable and carries a strong sense of authoritative critique. Whether hyphenated as 'self-defeating' or written as two words, it remains one of the most effective ways to describe a strategy that backfires due to its own inherent flaws.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

counterproductive

Directly describes an action that has the opposite of the desired effect.

self-sabotaging

Implies a psychological or internal drive toward failure.

backfiring

Focuses on the sudden and often explosive failure of a plan.

self-destructive

Suggests more severe damage or total ruin than simple failure.

self-annihilating

A more extreme version implying total erasure or removal of the subject.

ill-advised

Focuses on the poor judgment that led to the failure rather than the mechanics of the failure itself.

suicidal

Often used metaphorically in politics or business to describe a high-risk, self-harming strategy.

futile

Describes an effort that is doomed to fail regardless of its internal logic.

unproductive

A milder term that simply means an action did not produce positive results.

contradictory

Focuses on the logical clash within a strategy rather than the outcome.

FAQs

How do I use "self defeating" in a sentence?

You can use it as an adjective to describe an action or strategy, for example: "Raising taxes to increase revenue can be "self defeating" if it causes businesses to leave the country."

What can I say instead of "self defeating"?

Depending on your specific meaning, you could use alternatives like "counterproductive", "self-sabotaging", or "ill-advised".

Should I use a hyphen in "self-defeating"?

In modern English, the hyphenated form 'self-defeating' is the most common and standard way to write it as a compound adjective. However, as noted in Ludwig, some sources omit the hyphen when it follows a verb like 'is' or 'seems'.

What's the difference between "self defeating" and "unproductive"?

While an "unproductive" action simply fails to yield results, a "self defeating" action actively creates an obstacle to its own goal.