Nugatory?

Posted by Lewis on October 21, 2004

In Reply to: Self-defeating posted by Smokey Stover on October 21, 2004

: : What word best describes an action that is self-defeating, or contrary to its own purpose; eg, DOE's hydrogen-fuel program to make us less dependent on it includes a program to extract hydrogen from oil

: Nugatory might be made to serve, but what's wrong with self-defeating? SS

nugatory sounds either like a nut-based sweetmeat or something you do to a right-wing politician.

"self-negating" would be a compromise.

counter-productive, contradictory, there's quite a lexicon for stupidity.