What word means something or someone that goes/works against itself?

Question

I think I remember a word like that and it begins with the prefix counter. Can anyone help me?

Self-damaging, self-destructive? – BladorthinTheGrey Oct 16 '16 at 12:41 — BladorthinTheGrey, Oct 16 '16 at 12:41

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

5

I think the word you are looking for is counterproductive:

adjective

1. thwarting the achievement of an intended goal; tending to defeat one's purpose:

See also the answer to this question:

edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

Community

answered Oct 16 '16 at 11:24

Frank H.

This doesn't imply working against yourself though. Counterproductive is just against something else. – BladorthinTheGrey Oct 16 '16 at 12:42
@BladorthinTheGrey: it doesn't rule out working against yourself either, and the OP did ask for a word beginning with 'counter' :-) – Frank H. Oct 16 '16 at 12:48
Fair enough, perhaps you've answered the question and I've answered the title. :) – BladorthinTheGrey Oct 16 '16 at 12:50
I like counterproductive for what the OP described. Include the definition, not just a link, and I'll upvote. I think that's the way we're supposed to write answers here. – aparente001 Oct 17 '16 at 02:34
1

@aparente001: done - it would have been counterproductive not to :-) – Frank H. Oct 17 '16 at 09:49

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 16 '16 at 16:05

2

I think you want: contradict, as in contradictory, contradiction, contradicting, contradicted, contrary, and so on.

It’s not counter-; it’s contra-. But the etymology is basically the same.

I also like: paradox and oxymoron, both of which I consider to be similar or at least somewhat related.

edited Oct 16 '16 at 16:05

tchrist

answered Oct 16 '16 at 14:49

voices

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Oct 16 '16 at 16:02

1

While it doesn't start with counter-, I think self-defeating is worth considering.

edited Oct 16 '16 at 16:02

tchrist

answered Oct 16 '16 at 13:58

user196037

3 Answers3