: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-harm was in 1983

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Cite this Entry

“Self-harm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-harm. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-harm

noun
: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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