self-preservation
noun
self-pres·er·va·tion
ˌself-ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-shən 
1
: preservation of oneself from destruction or harm
2
: a natural or instinctive tendency to act so as to preserve one's own existence
Examples of self-preservation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In particular, Hobbes popularized the idea of generating a commonwealth in order to escape the uncertainty in a state of nature where self-preservation is fundamental.
—
Kenneth Andrew Andres Leonardo, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026
Khamenei’s anti-Americanism was cloaked in ideology but also driven by self-preservation.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
Born in the nadir of the Great Depression, SAG began as an act of self-preservation in response to demands by the major Hollywood studios that the talent pool eat a 50 percent salary cut.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026
In a cruel world that isn’t always kind toward immigrants, those five minutes alone to breathe were self-preservation.
—David Yi, Allure, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-preservation
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Kenneth Andrew Andres Leonardo, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026
Khamenei’s anti-Americanism was cloaked in ideology but also driven by self-preservation.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
Born in the nadir of the Great Depression, SAG began as an act of self-preservation in response to demands by the major Hollywood studios that the talent pool eat a 50 percent salary cut.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026
In a cruel world that isn’t always kind toward immigrants, those five minutes alone to breathe were self-preservation.
—David Yi, Allure, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-preservation
Cite this Entry
“Self-preservation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-preservation. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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