(one's) own worst enemy

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(one's) own worst enemy

Causing complications to one's life and/or keeping oneself from success; self-destructive or self-sabotaging. Tommy's becoming his own worst enemy with the way he's been skipping school lately. She always sabotages a relationship when it's going really well because she's her own worst enemy.
See also: enemy, own, worst

*one's own worst enemy

Fig. consistently causing oneself to fail; more harmful to oneself than other people are. (*Typically: be ~; become ~.) Ellen: My boss is my enemy. She never says anything good about me. Jane: Ellen, you're your own worst enemy. If you did your job responsibly, your boss would be nicer.
See also: enemy, own, worst

your own worst enemy

COMMON If you say that someone is their own worst enemy, you mean that their own behaviour causes most of their problems. In a way I'm my own worst enemy — too critical and hard on myself. The patients are their own worst enemy. They keep missing appointments.
See also: enemy, own, worst
References in classic literature ?
"When you were your own worst enemy, your friends came to help you.
View in context
Burgh were their own worst enemy in the early stages of the clash as individual mistakes allowed for Meadow's 2-0 lead.
Battling Burgh impress against top flight Irvine; Gaffer's praise as Johnstone fight back to hold Meadow to a draw
RANGERS were their "own worst enemy" as they suffered a 4-1 Old Firm derby defeat.
We never could find Old Firm footing; WOMEN
In Gordon Jack's satirical novel, Your Own Worst Enemy, three candidates fight dirty to be Lincoln High's next student-body president.
YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY: Political satire for Gen Z
"We're our own worst enemy - we contribute to our own downfall and it's a recurring theme.
Hornets young player of year moving on; RUGBY LEAGUE
However, with World Cup officials less likely to indulge Neymar, there is a risk that he could become his own worst enemy.
Neymar histrionics risk making him his own worst enemy
? RUGBY UNION: Harlequins captain James Horwill insists understanding the difference between anger and aggression will enable Kyle Sinckler to stop becoming his "own worst enemy".
Aggression, not anger, the answer; IN BRIEF
Miss Mobot probably has the ability to challenge Poisoned Berry, but she tends to be her own worst enemy.
BANKERS OR BLOWOUTS?
Trump is his own worst enemy. Hillary Clinton is laughing all the way to the White House.
THE BIG QUESTION
The best advice I can give you about your career is to not be your own worst enemy. Talk about the impossible: you are always your own worst enemy.
Don't be your own worst enemy: instead, reel it in, work hard, do more than what is minimally necessary, and be on time
RUGBY LEAGUE can be its own worst enemy. But the bigwigs may have finally come up with a good idea.
RUGBY LEAGUE can be its [...]
During a news conference here on Friday, Aftab Sherpao said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which is the governing party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was its own worst enemy. "All this is a drama to divert attention from real issues."
QWP alongwith PPP and ANP can resolve KP problems: Sherpao
New York, August 13 ( ANI ): Lindsay Lohan has admitted to Oprah Winfrey on her show 'Oprah's Next Chapter' that she is her own worst enemy.
LiLo tells Oprah she's her own worst enemy
A TOP judge has warned a Teesside mum she is in danger of becoming her "own worst enemy" if she continues to battle with social workers in her efforts to get her children back.
Judge turns down mum's 'children back' appeal
...I was struck with one of the report author's suggestion that the bird is its own worst enemy: they throw up when scared, fly poor and impale themselves on thorns and are hated by local fisherman.
Cormorants aren't the only cannibals out there
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