self-improvement

noun

self-im·​prove·​ment ˌself-im-ˈprüv-mənt How to pronounce self-improvement (audio)
plural self-improvements
: the act or process of improving oneself by one's own actions
individuals interested in self-improvement
opportunities for self-improvement
also : an instance or result of such improvement
You don't need to wait to ring in the new year to start making self-improvements, because it's always a good time. Nicole Yi
often used before another noun
self-improvement efforts
a self-improvement blog

Examples of self-improvement 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.
The Great Lock In is about spending September through December in hyperfocus mode, using the final months of the year to commit to self-improvement and ambitious career goals. Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Silicon Valley had just made a generation of Bay Area entrepreneurs (mostly men) very wealthy, and with their ascent came a utopian notion of self-improvement and optimization that would, the belief went, change the world. Thessaly La Force, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025 Instead, noble ideals such as exploration, self-improvement, and the general betterment of humanity tended to be more important than a steady paycheck. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2025 That’s according to a new study by Headway, a self-improvement and learning app. The Hill, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-improvement

Word History

First Known Use

1654, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-improvement was in 1654

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-improvement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-improvement. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-improvement

noun
self-im·​prove·​ment
ˌsel-ˌfim-ˈprüv-mənt
: improvement of oneself by one's own actions
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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