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undermine itself

[/ˌʌndərˈmaɪn ɪtˈsɛlf/]
verb phrase
minar-se a si mesmo
1. to weaken or damage oneself through one's own actions or contradictory behavior
The company undermines itself by not investing in employee training.
A empresa mina-se a si mesma ao não investir no treinamento de funcionários.
2. to contradict or sabotage one's own goals or positions
The argument undermines itself by relying on false premises.
O argumento mina-se a si mesmo ao se basear em premissas falsas.
NYC Slang
shoot oneself in the foot
Synonyms
sabotage oneselfwork against itselfdefeat itselfcontradict itselfweaken itself
Antonyms
strengthen itselfsupport itselfreinforce itselfadvance itself

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
minar-se a si mesmo
Most common usage in Brazil
São Paulo
se mina sozinho
Colloquial variant used in informal contexts
Portugal
mina-se a si próprio
Preferred construction in European Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

cut one's own throat
shoot oneself in the foot
saw off the branch one is sitting on
be one's own worst enemy
defeat one's own purpose
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