self-sufficient

adjective

self-suf·​fi·​cient ˌself-sə-ˈfi-shənt How to pronounce self-sufficient (audio)
1
: able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid : capable of providing for one's own needs
a self-sufficient farm
2
: having an extreme confidence in one's own ability or worth : haughty, overbearing

Examples of self-sufficient in a Sentence

the college student worked nights so that he would be self-sufficient
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
True freedom isn't a future milestone; it's built from day one by designing for mobility, choosing clients who respect boundaries, building self-sufficient systems, mastering asynchronous communication, and pricing for a location-independent lifestyle. Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 Ultimately, Candice views hunting as a way teach her kids where their food comes from and how to be a little more self-sufficient. Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025 Frost is, by reputation, perhaps the foremost poet of rural, non-coastal New England — of birches and apple trees, of forests blanketed in snow, of pastures sliced by ragged stone walls, and of the flinty, self-sufficient kind of temperament that flourishes in those places. A.o. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025 But the Civic Center Authority was facing a multi-million-dollar gap in its 2026 budget, and under the former Irvin administration, the city was considering filling that gap as part of a larger plan to make the organization financially self-sufficient again, according to past reporting. R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-sufficient

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-sufficient was in 1596

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Cite this Entry

“Self-sufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-sufficient. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-sufficient

adjective
self-suf·​fi·​cient
ˌself-sə-ˈfish-ənt
: able to take care of oneself without outside help : independent

More from Merriam-Webster on self-sufficient

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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