self-employed

adjective

self-em·​ployed ˌself-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce self-employed (audio)
Synonyms of self-employednext
: 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 self-assessment tax deadline is fast approaching, but landlords and the self-employed will soon have new HMRC requirements to follow – known as Making Tax Digital. Marc Shoffman, TheWeek, 14 Jan. 2026 Basham has also been self-employed as a venture capitalist since 2016. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026 To receive a cart, applicants must be 18 years or older, live in LA County, be self-employed as a sidewalk vendor, earn less than $75,000 annually from vending, operate within either unincorporated LA County or the City of LA, and commit to full compliance with public health and safety regulations. Julie Sharp, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026 Wisconsin couple trims household expenses, nix vacation plans Altoona, Wisconsin, resident Kelly Berry and her husband are both self-employed and don't have access to corporate health insurance. Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-employed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-employed. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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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