self-made

adjective

ˌself-ˈmād 

: made such by one's own actions

especially : having achieved success or prominence by one's own efforts

a self-made man

Examples of self-made in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So the drinks and parties and vacations and boat trips, or finally being able to settle down in that place by the beach, became consolations for past troubles — even if those troubles were self-made. —Jon Pareles, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2023

Burton’s book reads largely as a cautionary tale about complacently accepting the myth of being self-made. —Rhoda Feng, BostonGlobe.com, 29 June 2023

The 16-year-old runs her own multiplatform empire, forging a path for a new kind of child star — one who is self-made, self-grown and only then turning to Hollywood to unlock another level of success. —Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 June 2023

Collaborativeness In a real sense, no one is self-made. —Abiola Salami, Forbes, 4 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

self-made

adjective

ˈself-ˈmād

1

: made by one's own actions

2

: raised from poverty by one's own efforts

a self-made person