self-help

noun

ˈself-ˈhelp 

Southern also ˈhep

: the action or process of bettering oneself or overcoming one's problems without the aid of others

especially : the coping with one's personal or emotional problems without professional help

self-help adjective

Examples of self-help in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the 2000s and 2010s especially, mindfulness started appearing throughout American culture, largely shorn of most Buddhist roots, and was applied to a wide variety of self-help subjects in publications and emblazoned on health food products. —Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026

Panic pouches contain personalized self-help items to promote a sense of calm, and can include things like fidget spinners, stress balls, and essential oils. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 30 Apr. 2026

Rosenwald, a Tuskegee trustee, shared Washington’s faith in the power of self-help, and insisted on building schools with matching funds contributed by local Black families and their allies. —Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026

Evolving would require a $6,000 self-help retreat and delivering his father's eulogy. —Danielle Paquette The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-help

• help
• kelp
• skelp
• whelp
• yelp

Kids Definition

self-help

noun

ˈself-ˈhelp

: the act of bettering oneself or overcoming one's problems without aid of others

Legal Definition

self-help

noun

ˈself-ˈhelp

: the act of redressing or preventing a wrong by one's own actions rather than through legal proceedings

Note: The Uniform Commercial Code permits creditors to repossess collateral by self-help if it can be done without a breach of the peace.