as in independence
the ability to care for one's self
some people don't achieve self-reliance until they're over 30 years old
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of self-reliance
Competition, alliances, and egos collide as this group puts public reputations on the line, testing players’ self-reliance, problem-solving, and grit, per the logline.
—
Peter White, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2026
Each effort strengthened his instincts for initiative and self-reliance.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Your Next Move Charlotte’s active community already has the discipline, self-reliance, and love of exploration that solo travel demands.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
The family’s thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2020 wasn’t too big of a change for the kids, who were already used to homeschooling and self-reliance.
—David Gleisner, Outside, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Peter White, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2026
Each effort strengthened his instincts for initiative and self-reliance.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Your Next Move Charlotte’s active community already has the discipline, self-reliance, and love of exploration that solo travel demands.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
The family’s thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2020 wasn’t too big of a change for the kids, who were already used to homeschooling and self-reliance.
—David Gleisner, Outside, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reliance
Noun
-
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
The Republic of Cuba declared its independence from the United States.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Focus on multi-domain autonomy Revealing both systems shows ASELSAN’s goal to expand into different operational areas.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
6 May 2026
-
Early and mid-career assignments can help rising managers build credibility, autonomy, and resilience.—
Ruth Umoh,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
But for all its 21st-century self-sufficiency, the house remains grounded in the site’s long history.—
Nick Mafi,
Architectural Digest,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After decades of broken promises from federal and state governments for basic services, the resort represents a step toward economic self-sufficiency for the tribe, Tarango said.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reliance. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
