Meaning & use
self-fulfilling prophecy
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Meaning
nouncountable
A prediction or belief that comes true mainly because people act in ways that make it happen.
Grammar: Takes an article: it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Patterns
- become a self-fulfilling prophecy
- a self-fulfilling prophecy about something
If you tell yourself you will fail, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The rumor about the bank's trouble turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy when customers withdrew their savings.
Teachers worry that low expectations can act as a self-fulfilling prophecy for students.
Word forms
| plural | self-fulfilling prophecies |
|---|
Common combinations
- become a self-fulfilling prophecy
- His fear of failing became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- create a self-fulfilling prophecy
- Negative labels can create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- a classic self-fulfilling prophecy
- The market panic was a classic self-fulfilling prophecy.
- avoid a self-fulfilling prophecy
- Managers should avoid a self-fulfilling prophecy of low expectations.
- the danger of a self-fulfilling prophecy
- There is a danger of a self-fulfilling prophecy in predicting a recession.
Synonyms and how they differ
- forecast
- A forecast is only a prediction, while a self-fulfilling prophecy describes one that causes its own outcome.
- vicious circle
- A vicious circle is a repeating cycle of bad effects, while a self-fulfilling prophecy specifically starts with a belief.
- Pygmalion effect
- The Pygmalion effect is the specific psychology term for high expectations raising performance, a positive kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.
- placebo effect
- The placebo effect is a health benefit caused by belief, which is related but limited to medical contexts.
Word family
- prophecy noun
- a statement about what will happen in the future
- prophesy verb
- to say what will happen in the future
- fulfill verb
- to make something happen or be true
- fulfillment noun
- the act of making something real or complete
Commonly confused: self-fulfilling prophecy or prophesy?
self-fulfilling prophecy vs prophesy
Prophesy with a s is the verb; prophecy with a c is the noun. A self-fulfilling prophecy uses the noun.
Practice
Which situation is the best example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Choose one answer.
The student's belief caused the behavior that led to the result. In the other options the outcome happens independently of the belief.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “self-fulfilling prophecy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.