self-love

noun

: love of self: such as
a
: an appreciation of one's own worth or virtue
Self-love begins when we observe our actions and words with compassion as if we were our own best friend.Sara M Bosworth
Just as you'd think, it's love—particular, self-love—that makes the world go around.Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Often we are reluctant to promote self-love mostly because we confuse it with selfishness. Since we are humans, we ought to have a healthy love for ourselves; it is from this fount that love flows out to others.Mason Olds
b
: proper regard for and attention to one's own happiness or well-being
Nurturing your body seems simple, but for me it feels like an extreme act of self-love.Danielle d'Entremont
Lisa Concepcion, a certified professional love life coach and founder of LoveQuest Coaching, says that journaling is an excellent way to practice self-love.SheKnows
c
: inflated love of or pride in oneself : narcissism, conceit
… individuals ruled by self-love and selfishness …John Saillant
"Then from myself pray understand that I will say nothing to flatter your self-love."Anthony Trollope
… there was the self-love of those conceited blockheads who … were convinced that they themselves were superior to anything the age could produce.John Clive
self-loving adjective

Examples of self-love in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Love would be abundant in our friendships and in the world with the help of a little more self-love, understanding and grace. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 13 Mar. 2024 Selena Gomez is talking about her self-love journey over the past few years! Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Practice self-care and self-love Menopause is a natural phase of life that may be associated with bothersome symptoms including weight gain — but don’t let that extinguish your joy. Andrea Kane, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 The Importance of Self-Love For me, self-love during my period means using unequivocal language. Caroline Colvin, Health, 9 Mar. 2024 The piece set out to encourage Black women while detailing how to be more intentional about self-care and self-love. Alexis Cubit, The Courier-Journal, 7 Mar. 2024 Departing momentarily from the familiar jazz stylings of the band Mr. Miss, Liu Lian ventures into the realm of self-expression as a solo artist, unveiling a profound understanding of self-love through forays into new musical genres like dream pop. Billboard China, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2024 Johnson crafted a subtle gesture of self-love — not pompous or vain, but simple and resolute. Entertainment & Arts The Huntington was gifted four major paintings this year. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The lessons she’s learned After unhealthy relationships with men and her body, Collins is now all about self-love. Sam Gillette, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-love.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-love was in 1539

Dictionary Entries Near self-love

Cite this Entry

“Self-love.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-love. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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