self-mutilation
noun
self-mu·ti·la·tion
ˌself-ˌmyü-tə-ˈlā-shən
: the act of inflicting injury or disfigurement to one's own body
The original wound reopened and became dangerously infected, and yet this classic display of canine self-mutilation continued.—Dog Watch
But there seem to be, nevertheless, very few cases of actual cowardice. Of these, the majority involve self-mutilation by conscripts, in an attempt to be invalided out of the Army.—Carey Schofield
… a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered the state to pay for the private care of a 19-year- old man suffering from a rare neurological disorder that prompts violent bouts of self-mutilation.—Claudia Puig
specifically
: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism : self-harm
… the terrible incidence of self-mutilation, or cutting, particularly among young girls. —Judy Quinn
self-mutilate
intransitive verb
self-mutilated; self-mutilating; self-mutilates
self-mutilating behavior
Cite this Entry
“Self-mutilation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-mutilation. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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