self-destructive
adjective
self-de·struc·tive
ˌself-di-ˈstrək-tiv 
: acting or tending to harm or destroy oneself
self-destructive behavior
self-destructiveness
noun
Examples of self-destructive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Deliberately shrinking a country’s labor force is both broadly and deeply self-destructive.
—
Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2024
Godfrey, the author of The Torn Skirt, a novel about the effects of a self-destructive girlhood, felt compelled to report on what happened, and why.
—Sarah Weinman, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Sometimes conducted in group settings, the approach is designed to help people overcome black-and-white thinking and develop emotional regulation skills, which are key for healthily managing emotional pain instead of turning to self-destructive habits.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024
My coping strategies were bad, unhealthy, self-destructive, and dangerous.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-destructive 
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Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2024
Godfrey, the author of The Torn Skirt, a novel about the effects of a self-destructive girlhood, felt compelled to report on what happened, and why.
—Sarah Weinman, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Sometimes conducted in group settings, the approach is designed to help people overcome black-and-white thinking and develop emotional regulation skills, which are key for healthily managing emotional pain instead of turning to self-destructive habits.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024
My coping strategies were bad, unhealthy, self-destructive, and dangerous.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-destructive
Dictionary Entries Near self-destructive
Cite this Entry
“Self-destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-destructive. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
self-destructive
adjective
self-de·struc·tive
-ˈstrək-tiv
: acting or tending to harm or destroy oneself
self-destructive behavior
also
: suicidal
self-destructively
adverb
self-destructiveness
noun
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