Definition of self-reliancenext
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

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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 It was also supposed to significantly reduce food imports, enhance the country’s self-reliance, involve the private sector in policy development and create thousands of new jobs. Majirata Latela, The Dial, 13 Jan. 2026 His intention wasn’t to stoke fear but to promote self-reliance. Paige Williams, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026 This move would signal self-reliance and attract investors drawn to the league’s surging popularity. Nafees Alam, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026 In its place came self-reliance, a different kind of mythology. Hazlitt, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reliance
Noun
  • Geopolitical tensions, unpredictable trade policy and concerns over the independence of the Federal Reserve all supported prices.
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The selloff also coincided with a probe into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, which perturbed global investors over the potential of a loss of Fed independence.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Legitimacy comes from collaboration with citizens, not autonomy from them.
    Annelise Riles, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
  • For decades, the BLA has waged a separatist insurgency that seeks greater political autonomy and economic development in the strategically important and mineral-rich Balochistan region, where the Reko Diq mine and other copper and mineral reserves are located.
    Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Beijing has increasingly made clear its efforts to build technological self-sufficiency and hold its own on the global stage.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
  • By responding to countries’ push for self-sufficiency, the School Meals Accelerator represents a new approach to development that can withstand the challenges of the current aid climate.
    Reem Alabali Radovan, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reliance. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.

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