# shoot oneself in the foot

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/shoot-oneself-in-the-foot
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To act against one's own interests; to unintentionally behave self-destructively.

## Examples

- He shot himself in the foot by lying to his boss.
- By refusing to apologize for his mistake, he really shot himself in the foot during the salary negotiation.
- The politician shot himself in the foot when he made those controversial remarks, effectively destroying his chances of winning the upcoming election.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.