self-punishment

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self-punishment

A student engages in self-punishment by skipping a fun outing to study.

Definition

Noun: - Punishment inflicted on oneself: The act or process of imposing a penalty, suffering, or negative consequence upon oneself, often due to feelings of guilt, remorse, or a desire for atonement.

Usage
  • This noun refers to a deliberate act where a person chooses to suffer or deprive themselves as a form of retribution for a perceived wrongdoing or failure.
  • It is typically used in psychological, moral, or religious contexts to describe behavior stemming from internal guilt rather than an external penalty.
Examples
Advanced Usage
  • Psychological Context: In psychology, chronic self-punishment can be a symptom of conditions like depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, where individuals feel they deserve to suffer.
  • Moral Philosophy: The concept can be discussed in ethics regarding the rationality and purpose of punishing oneself versus accepting forgiveness.
Variants and Related Words
  • Self-flagellation (n): Literally whipping oneself; often used metaphorically to mean excessive self-criticism or blame.
  • Self-mortification (n): The act of disciplining oneself, often through denial of comfort or infliction of pain, typically for religious reasons.
  • Penance (n): An act of self-punishment or devotion performed to show sorrow for sin. (Note: This is a related concept but not a direct variant, as penance can be prescribed by others).
Synonyms
  • Self-retribution: Punishment inflicted on oneself for a misdeed.
  • Self-chastisement: The act of scolding or punishing oneself.
Antonyms
  • Self-forgiveness: The act of pardoning or absolving oneself.
  • Self-indulgence: Allowing oneself to enjoy pleasures freely.
Related Idioms and Phrases
  • "Beating yourself up": (Idiom) To criticize or blame oneself harshly.
    • Stop beating yourself up over a minor error; it's not productive.
  • "Wearing a hair shirt": (Idiom) To lead a life of deliberate austerity or penance.
    • After the scandal, he spent years wearing a hair shirt, avoiding any public acclaim.
self-punishment

A student engages in self-punishment by skipping a fun outing to study.

Noun
  1. punishment inflicted on yourself