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

Christa Ramey, Irons’ attorney, earlier said that her client experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and self-harm due to the harassment, The Mercury News reported. —David Chiu, People.com, 17 June 2025

Creator/executive producer Sarah Lampert has never shied away from the angst of being a human being, putting her characters through struggles such as depression, addiction, eating disorders, personality disorders, self-harm, and this season, teen pregnancy, to name a few. —Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025

Among other precautions, the bill would require the operator of a chatbot to have a protocol to address suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm mentioned by a user to the platform. —Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025

The report highlights research on young adults that shows that trans students who participate in collegiate sports are less likely to experience distress, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. —Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 6 June 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