do-it-yourself
noun
do-it-your·self
ˌdü-i-chər-ˈself 
ˌdü-it-yər-
often attributive
: the activity of doing or making something (as in woodworking or home repair) without professional training or assistance
broadly
: an activity in which one does something oneself or on one's own initiative
Examples of do-it-yourself in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For those who don't live near a store, a do-it-yourself pinhole projector is available on the company's website.
—
USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
Home Depot, the nation’s fifth-largest retailer, currently gets around half of its sales from housing professionals, who spend more at stores than do-it-yourself homeowners purchasing lawn mowers and power tools.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
Here's another do-it-yourself option: Cut a 1- to 2-inch rectangular hole in a white sheet of cardstock — paper that is sturdier than regular paper and thinner than cardboard (the kind used for business cards and postcards).
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 27 Mar. 2024
The challengers are medical professionals who note the frequency with which women who take the pill — especially in a do-it-yourself home environment with no medical supervision — end up in emergency rooms or in need of further medical attention.
—The Editors, National Review, 27 Mar. 2024
The company went public in 2021 as the pandemic lingered and during an apparent boom in at-home, do-it-yourself consumer activity.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024
Last year, a quarter of the 66,000 artists in the $10,000 club were self-distributed through do-it-yourself platforms such as DistroKid and TuneCore.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2024
So many legends have heard it as a dare, an invitation, a map to their do-it-yourself future.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024
Workarounds and do-it-yourself repairs reduce the productivity of research staff by up to 40 percent, according to the committee’s interviews with employees during a laboratory visit.
—Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024
USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
Home Depot, the nation’s fifth-largest retailer, currently gets around half of its sales from housing professionals, who spend more at stores than do-it-yourself homeowners purchasing lawn mowers and power tools.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
Here's another do-it-yourself option: Cut a 1- to 2-inch rectangular hole in a white sheet of cardstock — paper that is sturdier than regular paper and thinner than cardboard (the kind used for business cards and postcards).
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 27 Mar. 2024
The challengers are medical professionals who note the frequency with which women who take the pill — especially in a do-it-yourself home environment with no medical supervision — end up in emergency rooms or in need of further medical attention.
—The Editors, National Review, 27 Mar. 2024
The company went public in 2021 as the pandemic lingered and during an apparent boom in at-home, do-it-yourself consumer activity.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024
Last year, a quarter of the 66,000 artists in the $10,000 club were self-distributed through do-it-yourself platforms such as DistroKid and TuneCore.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2024
So many legends have heard it as a dare, an invitation, a map to their do-it-yourself future.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024
Workarounds and do-it-yourself repairs reduce the productivity of research staff by up to 40 percent, according to the committee’s interviews with employees during a laboratory visit.
—Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'do-it-yourself.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1952, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near do-it-yourself
Cite this Entry
“Do-it-yourself.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-it-yourself. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
do-it-yourself
adjective
do-it-your·self
ˌdü-ə-chər-ˈself
: of, relating to, or designed for a person without professional training or help to do or make
do-it-yourselfer
noun
-ˈsel-fər
More from Merriam-Webster on do-it-yourself
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about do-it-yourself
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