self-possession
noun
self-pos·ses·sion
ˌself-pə-ˈze-shən 
also -ˈse-
: control of one's emotions or reactions especially when under stress : presence of mind, composure
Synonyms
Examples of self-possession in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Its embrace and adaptation by the local population says something about self-possession too.
—
Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2023
Her confidence and self-possession are clear in her direct gaze at the viewer.
—Kate C. Lemay, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 July 2023
Something often ties the people who are championed by such groups together: a self-possession, a facility with words, an ability to narrate one’s fall and redemption.
—Annalisa Quinn, BostonGlobe.com, 5 July 2023
Smiley’s striking self-possession, even as a child, may owe much to her own mother, a crackerjack journalist.
—Joan Frank, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023
Being right there in the forefront with her brothers and sisters of the civil rights movement — that narrative alone, and her self-possession and off-the-charts intelligence, warrants a chapter in these history books.
—Cori Murray, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 June 2023
Now 32, Illenium has both the self-possession of an artist who knows how the game works and the openness of one who’s new to it.
—Rachel Narozniak, Billboard, 3 May 2023
Both had been enslaved, and the self-possession that ought to reward artistic creation can only go so far when the artist himself is a legal possession, as Dave was during his most productive period.
—Christopher Benfey, The New York Review of Books, 20 Apr. 2023
Three actors — Aaron Kingsley Adetola, Aven Courtney and Josiah Cross — play Terry at different ages, each one of them with extraordinary self-possession and sensitivity.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2023
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Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2023
Her confidence and self-possession are clear in her direct gaze at the viewer.
—Kate C. Lemay, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 July 2023
Something often ties the people who are championed by such groups together: a self-possession, a facility with words, an ability to narrate one’s fall and redemption.
—Annalisa Quinn, BostonGlobe.com, 5 July 2023
Smiley’s striking self-possession, even as a child, may owe much to her own mother, a crackerjack journalist.
—Joan Frank, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023
Being right there in the forefront with her brothers and sisters of the civil rights movement — that narrative alone, and her self-possession and off-the-charts intelligence, warrants a chapter in these history books.
—Cori Murray, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 June 2023
Now 32, Illenium has both the self-possession of an artist who knows how the game works and the openness of one who’s new to it.
—Rachel Narozniak, Billboard, 3 May 2023
Both had been enslaved, and the self-possession that ought to reward artistic creation can only go so far when the artist himself is a legal possession, as Dave was during his most productive period.
—Christopher Benfey, The New York Review of Books, 20 Apr. 2023
Three actors — Aaron Kingsley Adetola, Aven Courtney and Josiah Cross — play Terry at different ages, each one of them with extraordinary self-possession and sensitivity.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-possession.' 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
1665, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near self-possession
Cite this Entry
“Self-possession.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-possession. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
self-possession
noun
self-pos·ses·sion
ˌself-pə-ˈzesh-ən
: control of one's emotions or reactions : composure
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