self-employed

adjective

self-em·​ployed ˌself-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce self-employed (audio)
: earning income directly from one's own business, trade, or profession rather than as a specified salary or wages from an employer
self-employed noun

Examples of self-employed in a Sentence

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.
The Doral bakery owner is among the 12% of Venezuelans with TPS who are self-employed, contributing to the U.S. economy through small businesses, independent contracting and entrepreneurship, according to data from Clemens. Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 31 July 2025 Most of the 12,000 private attorneys in the U.S. picking up these cases are typically self-employed, or work for a small law firm. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 24 July 2025 Texas also reached a new high for the greatest number of people working, including the self-employed, of 15,210,500. Bethany Blankley, The Washington Examiner, 20 July 2025 Kenny, who is now self-employed as a caterer, recalled his experience a few years earlier. Helena Addison, The Conversation, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-employed

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-employed was in 1916

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Cite this Entry

“Self-employed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-employed. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-employed

adjective
self-em·​ployed
ˌsel-fim-ˈplȯid
: earning income from one's own business or profession rather than salary or wages from an employer

More from Merriam-Webster on self-employed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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