Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

self-sabotage en · NOUN

Etymology

From self- + sabotage.

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) The sabotaging, whether consciously or subconsciously, of oneself, one's own interests, plans etc.
    • “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. 2022 September 14, Arthur Neslen, quoting Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “Health groups call for global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty”, in The Guardian:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
selfsabotage alternative lexicographic
self sabotage alternative lexicographic

self-sabotage en · VERB

Etymology

From self- + sabotage.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To sabotage oneself or one's own plans.
    • “So many of us are shaming ourselves or hating on ourselves, and then that shame and hate makes us want to numb out, and then we go self-sabotage and engage in something that is maybe indulging in some way,” Johnson said. 2025 April 28, Madeline Holcombe, “It might be time to ‘reparent’ yourself. Here’s how to get started”, in CNN:
    • 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”. 2011, Greg Bennett, Self Sabotage:
    • If your Inner Child doesn't feel safe, worthy, it works within to self-sabotage you before you are even conscious of the pattern 2019, Justin Blackburn, The Bisexual Christian Suburban Failure Enlightening Bipolar Blues, page 18:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
self sabotage alternative lexicographic
self-sabotaging Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
selfsabotage alternative lexicographic
self-sabotaged Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
self-sabotaged Tense=Past lexicographic
self-sabotages Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Deriveds

self-sabotagist

Relateds

be one's own worst enemy