self-control
noun
self-con·trol
ˌself-kən-ˈtrōl 
: restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires
Examples of self-control in a Sentence
toddlers have very little self-control
she could be passionate and intense, but generally exercised steely self-control in the company of strangers
Recent Examples on the Web
The following is an example of a daily exercise for developing self-control, a key temperance behavior.
—
Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
In her deep mourning dress (neat as a Quaker’s), with her beautiful hair, smooth and brown, her fine eyes, and her sensible face indicating a habit of self-control.
—Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
In animal studies that informed human treatments for PTSD, scientists observed that high levels of stress hormones, like norepinephrine, impair the prefrontal cortex, which is the brain’s center for decision-making and self-control.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Research also suggests that children who consume more than 100 mg of caffeine during a school day are more likely than those who don’t to struggle with self-control and behavioral issues.
—Jamie Ducharme, NBC news, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-control
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Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
In her deep mourning dress (neat as a Quaker’s), with her beautiful hair, smooth and brown, her fine eyes, and her sensible face indicating a habit of self-control.
—Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
In animal studies that informed human treatments for PTSD, scientists observed that high levels of stress hormones, like norepinephrine, impair the prefrontal cortex, which is the brain’s center for decision-making and self-control.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Research also suggests that children who consume more than 100 mg of caffeine during a school day are more likely than those who don’t to struggle with self-control and behavioral issues.
—Jamie Ducharme, NBC news, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-control
Cite this Entry
“Self-control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-control. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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