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to self-destroy

to self-destroy

8.4
To cause a machine or person to stop working by their own action
  • verb
  • /sɛlf-dɪˈstrɔɪ/
translation icon : autodestruirse
  • The engine overheated and self-destroyed after the long trip.

Examples

  • If you keep making risky decisions, you might self-destroy before you get a chance to succeed.

  • His negative thoughts began to self-destroy his confidence and happiness.

  • These things self destroy in our bodies very, very quickly.

Synonyms

to commit suicide
vsto self-destroy
  • NSFW
232 6.2

To kill yourself on purpose

is broader, covering self-caused destruction of people or things
to take one's own life
vsto self-destroy
  • NSFW
35 8.6

To end your life on purpose

covers self-caused destruction more generally, not only intentional human deaths
to self-destruct
vsto self-destroy
15 6.7

To ruin your own life or job by your actions

is broader, not always deliberate and can include accidental destruction
to self-terminate
vsto self-destroy
  • NSFW
1 9.8

To stop something yourself, for example closing an account, making a device stop working, or ending your own life

is about actual destruction rather than simple stopping or cancellation

Antonyms

A natural desire to protect yourself from harm

How Self-Destructive

to self-destroy
8.4
to kill oneself
  • Informal
9 8.1

Surface Forms

self-destroy infinitive
self-destroyed past participle
self-destroying present participle
self-destroys third person singular

Morphology

self-destroy = destroy (transparent) = self + destroy

The meaning is directly derived from 'self' + 'destroy', indicating an action done to oneself.

Etymology

Self-destroy comes from the simple parts self- ('by itself') and destroy ('to break or ruin'). So it means to destroy oneself or itself, for example a device made to destroy itself or a person who ruins their own chances.