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
Supporters pitched the orders as a reasonable compromise that temporarily removes firearms from those who have openly expressed specific threats of violence or self-harm, and mandates the return of weapons should a judge determine the owners’ fitness to have them.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
The legislation also requires chatbot operators to implement a protocol for addressing suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm, including a notification that refers users to crisis service providers, according to a press release from Padilla’s office.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Chatbots are known to validate users’ obsessions and delusions, and most of the litigation around this phenomenon has so far pertained to self-harm, as in the suits Jain has brought against OpenAI and Character Technologies.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
Others who had lost so many of their children to struggles with depression, anxiety, self-harm all inflicted by online harms.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-harm
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Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
The legislation also requires chatbot operators to implement a protocol for addressing suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm, including a notification that refers users to crisis service providers, according to a press release from Padilla’s office.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Chatbots are known to validate users’ obsessions and delusions, and most of the litigation around this phenomenon has so far pertained to self-harm, as in the suits Jain has brought against OpenAI and Character Technologies.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
Others who had lost so many of their children to struggles with depression, anxiety, self-harm all inflicted by online harms.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 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 16 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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