Advertisement
🇯🇵Japanese Source WordCode: JA

墓穴を掘る

Pronunciation / Transliteration: boketsu o horu

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Dig one's own grave/dɪɡ wʌnz oʊn ɡreɪv/
verb phraseCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
Full Thesaurus
🇯🇵 Example Sentence in Japanese:

"彼の軽率な発言はまさに墓穴を掘るものだった。"

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As verb phrase
  1. 1

    To do something that will cause one's own failure, downfall, or ruin.

    "By continuing to lie to his business partners, he was essentially digging his own grave."
  2. 2

    To create irreversible problems for oneself through foolish or reckless actions.

    "Ignoring the safety warnings on the machinery is like digging your own grave."
Advertisement

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from literal burial practices where digging a grave is a preparation for death, this idiom evolved metaphorically in the late 19th century. It draws upon the vivid imagery of self-destruction, suggesting that an individual's own actions will inevitably lead to their ruin or downfall.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Dig one's own grave"?

Advertisement

10 Global Lexicons: How "Dig one's own grave" is said worldwide

Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration

Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Dig one's own grave"

Discover exact matches, context-specific alternatives, and antonyms with intensity ratings in the VocabDictionary Thesaurus.

View "Dig one's own grave" Synonym Map
Advertisement