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
Meta said publicly that a maximum of half a percent of users were exposed to suicide and self-harm material, but its own study found the number was around 7%, the filing said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
But a wave of troubling reports and lawsuits alleging that AI companion apps have contributed to self-harm and suicide among teens has sparked safety concerns about AI’s impact on young people.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
In the document, the company claimed that it can’t be held responsible because the boy, 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died in April, was at risk of self-harm before ever using the chatbot — and violated its terms of use by asking it for information about how to end his life.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2025
Linda Hall, the executive director of Office of Children's Mental Health, said the program at Children's gives parents and caregivers more opportunities to protect their child from acting on thoughts of self-harm.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-harm
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Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
But a wave of troubling reports and lawsuits alleging that AI companion apps have contributed to self-harm and suicide among teens has sparked safety concerns about AI’s impact on young people.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
In the document, the company claimed that it can’t be held responsible because the boy, 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died in April, was at risk of self-harm before ever using the chatbot — and violated its terms of use by asking it for information about how to end his life.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2025
Linda Hall, the executive director of Office of Children's Mental Health, said the program at Children's gives parents and caregivers more opportunities to protect their child from acting on thoughts of self-harm.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 26 Nov. 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 5 Dec. 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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