Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
shoot-yourself-in-the-foot
idiom
/ʃuːt jɔːrˈsɛlf ɪn ðə fʊt/
Definition
To undermine one’s own efforts or cause one’s own problems through a careless action or decision.
Examples
- If she had gone to the meeting on time, things might have gone better; instead, she really shot herself in the foot.
- By not preparing thoroughly for the exam, he shot himself in the foot when he got a poor grade.
Meaning
This expression describes a situation where someone acts in a way that is self-sabotaging or counterproductive.
Synonyms
- self-sabotage
- self-defeating behavior
- undermine oneself
