dig one's own grave

verb

To behave in a way that is likely to cause one to lose or fail, including, but not limited to, result in death.

Similar
cut off one's nose to spite one's facedig oneself in a holeshoot oneself in the footsign one's death warrant
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbdig one's own grave (third-person singular simple present digs one's own grave, present participle digging one's own grave, simple past and past participle dug one's own grave)

present singular third person digs one's own grave · participle present digging one's own grave · participle past dug one's own grave · past dug one's own grave

  1. idiomaticTo behave in a way that is likely to cause one to lose or fail, including, but not limited to, result in death.

    Synonyms: cut off one's nose to spite one's face, dig oneself in a hole, shoot oneself in the foot, sign one's death warrant

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo behave in a way that is likely to cause one to lose or fail, including, but not limited to, result in death.

Similar
cut off one's nose to spite one's facedig oneself in a holeshoot oneself in the footsign one's death warrant
Also see
shoot oneself in the foot

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 自掘墳墓 /自掘坟墓, 自寻死路
  • 自掘墳墓 /自掘坟墓 (zìjuéfénmù)to act in a way expected to backfire
  • 自寻死路 (zìxúnsǐlù)to act in a way expected to backfire
Danish grave sin egen grav
  • grave sin egen gravto act in a way expected to backfire
Finnish kaivaa omaa hautaansa
  • kaivaa omaa hautaansato act in a way expected to backfire
French creuser sa tombe, creuser sa propre tombe
  • creuser sa tombeto act in a way expected to backfire
  • creuser sa propre tombeto act in a way expected to backfire
Hungarian saját sírját ássa
  • saját sírját ássato act in a way expected to backfire
Icelandic grafa sér gröf
  • grafa sér gröfto act in a way expected to backfire
Japanese 墓穴を掘る
  • 墓穴を掘る (boketsu o horu)to act in a way expected to backfire
Malay menggali kubur sendiri
  • menggali kubur sendirito act in a way expected to backfire
Polish kopać sobie grób, wykopywać sobie grób
  • kopać sobie gróbto act in a way expected to backfire
  • wykopywać sobie gróbto act in a way expected to backfire
  • wykopać sobie gróbto act in a way expected to backfire
Portuguese cavar a própria cova
  • cavar a própria covato act in a way expected to backfire
Spanish cavar su propia tumba
  • cavar su propia tumbato act in a way expected to backfire
Swedish gräva sin egen grav
  • gräva sin egen gravto act in a way expected to backfire
Cite this entry
APA

dig one's own grave. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dig%20one's%20own%20grave

MLA

“dig one's own grave.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dig%20one's%20own%20grave. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dig one's own grave,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dig%20one's%20own%20grave.

Source: dig one's own grave on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.