self-command

noun

self-com·​mand ˌself-kə-ˈmand How to pronounce self-command (audio)
: command of oneself : self-control
She turns away and sits down on the bench under the yew tree, struggling to recover her self-command.George Bernard Shaw
When Tommy set forth on the trail of the two men, it took all Tuppence's self-command to refrain from accompanying him.Agatha Christie

Examples of self-command in a Sentence

a witness practicing remarkable self-command under intense questioning by several members of Congress an aloof man of great self-command but little charm
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.
In his mind, the army was not a caste apart but an instrument of the republic – an arena in which self-command and civic virtue were tested. Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-command was in 1651

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Cite this Entry

“Self-command.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-command. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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