Definition of selfhoodnext
as in identity
the set of qualities that make a person different from other people he spent a year in a monastery determining the core of his selfhood

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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 selfhood The book’s post-apocalyptic setting ennobles its meditations on selfhood and finitude; the narrator’s search for perpetuity is lent an unshakable gravity by her circumstances. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 This is, at times, a wrenching novel, strewn with broken bodies, but its atrocities never overwhelm its faith in creaturely communion, and in grief and longing that clarify, rather than obscure, one’s desires and selfhood. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Neptune can represent imagination, spirituality, idealism and illusion, while Aries is concerned with selfhood, courage and initiation. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 Our true nature, or selfhood, is created by Spirit and is wholly loved, complete, and sound. — Alistair Budd, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for selfhood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selfhood
Noun
  • Quiet luxury, by invitation Fortune previously reported affluent Gen Z and millennials were prioritizing experiences, wellness, and identity over traditional luxury possessions.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Much of Bread & Butter was made with reverence for the path Droog’s taken, from his early days of mistaken identity to rhyming with Madlib on The Tonight Show.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There’s the menagerie of found object ephemera that provides a sense of intimacy and personality (look for the wild bit of art hanging in the spa entrance).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Piane’s compositions provided a foundation for contestants to showcase their personalities, give memorable performances and embrace the camp and theatricality that became hallmarks of the franchise.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Selfhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selfhood. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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