self-harm
noun
: 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.
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
He's done thousands of tattoos for people wanting to cover up scars from domestic abuse, human trafficking, self-harm and more.
—Kai McNamee, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
Byrant said threatening self-harm was the only way to get Glisson to listen, according to police.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Sep. 2025
There's something that's almost self-harming about it for him.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2025
Repression, self-harm, substance abuse, bullying, jealousy, emotional abuse, and even allusions to grooming, among other terrors of the fog, keep the tensions high from start to finish.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-harm
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Kai McNamee, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
Byrant said threatening self-harm was the only way to get Glisson to listen, according to police.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Sep. 2025
There's something that's almost self-harming about it for him.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2025
Repression, self-harm, substance abuse, bullying, jealousy, emotional abuse, and even allusions to grooming, among other terrors of the fog, keep the tensions high from start to finish.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-harm
Cite this Entry
“Self-harm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-harm. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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self-harm
noun
: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism
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