self-administer
verb
self-ad·min·is·ter
ˌself-əd-ˈmi-nə-stər 
self-administered; self-administering; self-administers
: to administer (something, such as a drug) to oneself
can self-administer the drug with an inhaler
allowed to self-administer the test
Those regulations … also state that only a school nurse can apply medications, but exemptions exist that allow students in some cases to self-administer according to district guidelines.—
Jennifer Bogdan
Jennifer BogdanExamples of self-administer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And people who are eager to lose extra weight — before a wedding or a vacation, for example — may choose to self-administer a higher-than-recommended dose, said Arthur Caplan, a bioethics professor at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine.
—Maia Rosenfeld, NBC news, 29 May 2026
In April 2026, Saphnelo launched a pen version, which is also FDA-approved, and allows patients to self-administer their treatments.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
Prescription requirements for medicines that adults can safely self-administer add costs and delays without improving safety.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
For instance, rodents given GLP-1 drugs drink less alcohol, self-administer less cocaine and show less interest in nicotine.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2026
For instance, rodents given GLP-1 drugs drink less alcohol, self-administer less cocaine and show less interest in nicotine.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
Players self-administered the therapy three times a week, 20 minutes each time, for 16 weeks.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Both the Illinois law and New York’s pending law require patients to self-administer the medication.
—Dr. Jeffrey Singer, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2026
Researchers believe the approach could let patients self-administer powerful protein drugs at home.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2025
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Maia Rosenfeld, NBC news, 29 May 2026
In April 2026, Saphnelo launched a pen version, which is also FDA-approved, and allows patients to self-administer their treatments.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
Prescription requirements for medicines that adults can safely self-administer add costs and delays without improving safety.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
For instance, rodents given GLP-1 drugs drink less alcohol, self-administer less cocaine and show less interest in nicotine.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2026
For instance, rodents given GLP-1 drugs drink less alcohol, self-administer less cocaine and show less interest in nicotine.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
Players self-administered the therapy three times a week, 20 minutes each time, for 16 weeks.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Both the Illinois law and New York’s pending law require patients to self-administer the medication.
—Dr. Jeffrey Singer, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2026
Researchers believe the approach could let patients self-administer powerful protein drugs at home.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-administer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-administer. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
self-administer
transitive verb
self-ad·min·i·ster
-əd-ˈmi-nə-stər
: to administer (as a drug) to oneself
self-administered an analgesic
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