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

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

"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

But what begins as the sleazy and alluring tale of a man parachuting into self-destruction turns into an exploration of the transformative power of living in one’s true identity.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

"And a lot of voices came into my head. Criticism, self-destruction, labelling yourself not good enough. All of those negative things made it harder for me to perform."

From BBC • Jul. 24, 2025

There are not yet any obvious signs of extraterrestrial intelligence and this makes us wonder whether civilizations like ours always rush implacably, headlong, toward self-destruction.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan