self-destruction

American  

[self-di-struhk-shuhn, self-] / ˈsɛlf dɪˈstrʌk ʃən, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. the destruction or ruination of oneself or one's life.

2. suicide.

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self-destruction British  

noun

1. the act or an instance of self-destructing

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Etymology

Origin of self-destruction

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

In fact, the project, whose premise depended on sustaining a false reality for one unknowing star, inherently risked self-destruction.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

Europe’s savage self-destruction reunited techne and themis: the technologies of the Industrial Revolution and the ideologies of the French Revolution.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

This is a losing battle by definition, one that testifies to the nihilistic self-hatred and appetite for self-destruction that Baudrillard observed in 2002.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

"Because the war can last for a long time while the self-destruction happens after three to four months. It makes sense of the humanitarian side, not on the military side."

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

It seems fairly clear that if self-destruction is not the overwhelmingly preponderant fate of galactic civilizations, then the sky is softly humming with messages from the stars.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan