self-fulfilling

American  

[self-fool-fil-ing] / ˈsɛlf fʊlˈfɪl ɪŋ /

adjective

1. characterized by or bringing about self-fulfillment.

2. happening or brought about as a result of being foretold, expected, or talked about.

   a self-fulfilling prophecy.

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self-fulfilling British  

adjective

1. (of an opinion or prediction) borne out because it is expected to be true or to happen

   a self-fulfilling prophecy

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Usage

What does self-fulfilling prophecy mean? A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that causes itself to be true due to the behavior (including the act of predicting it) of the believer. Self-fulling, here, means “brought about as a result of being foretold or talked about,” while prophecy refers to the prediction.

Etymology

Origin of self-fulfilling

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

This is an “identity contingency” that plays out “whenever we’re in a situation where a bad stereotype about one of our own identities could be applied to us,” potentially becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

That is an important reassurance for Federal Reserve officials, who often worry that widespread concerns about future inflation can twist consumer behavior and become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

But outside Spotify's self-fulfilling "top hits" playlists, fans were engaging with music that was encouragingly weird and experimental.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

“A high vacancy rate is a self-fulfilling prophecy,” said Dr. Stuart Bussey, president of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, which represents about 1,300 state psychiatrists.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2025

“Delphine, do you know what a self-fulfilling prophecy is?”

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia