self-harm

noun

ˌself-ˈhärm 

: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism

Although most cutters are young women who have been emotionally, sexually, or physically abused as children, [Marilee] Strong's research shows that this specific type of self-harm also appears in other groups.

—Maria Simson et al.

called also self-injury, self-mutilation

self-harm intransitive verb

self-harmed; self-harming; self-harms

teenagers who self-harm

Examples of self-harm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Aura’s platform tracks behavioral patterns such as sleep and focus, flags mental health risks including self-harm or suicidal ideation, and gives parents visibility into kids’ social media, gaming, and AI chat activity. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025

The optimal solution for economic self-harm is not to conjure an elaborate rebate mechanism but to scale back the offending tariffs at the first opportunity. —Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

The judge ordered the sheriff’s office to follow necessary procedures to ensure Adelson cannot self-harm before she was led away in handcuffs after the guilty verdict Thursday night. —Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025

This could look like mood swings, irritability, hostility, feelings of depression, and thoughts of suicide or self-harm. —Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-harm

• alarm
• disarm
• forearm
• gendarme
• nonfarm
• rearm
• arm
• charm
• farm
• harm
• firearm
• underarm

Kids Definition

self-harm

noun

ˌself-ˈhärm 

: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism