self-reliance

noun

self-re·​li·​ance ˌself-ri-ˈlī-ənts How to pronounce self-reliance (audio)
: reliance on one's own efforts and abilities

Examples of self-reliance in a Sentence

some people don't achieve self-reliance until they're over 30 years old
Recent Examples on the Web And cowboys, working the grueling cattle drives, came to embody values linked to the frontier: self-reliance, strength and independence. Hannah Cutting-Jones, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2024 Alpha Kappa Alpha, like Alpha Phi Alpha before it, was forged as an act of self-reliance: inspired by stories of sorority life on other college campuses, Ethel Hedgemon Lyle, a Howard student from St. Louis, recruited classmates to create a group of their own, in the spring of 1907. Jazmine Hughes, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 Unschooling offered an antidote to these concerns about formal schooling while aligning nicely with the lifestyle values of freedom, autonomy and self-reliance that drew many parents to worldschooling in the first place. Jennie Germann Molz, Scientific American, 21 Oct. 2024 These are all elements of a successful polity: respect for property rights, self-reliance, and a commitment to act as a good neighbor. Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for self-reliance 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-reliance.' 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

1668, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-reliance was in 1668

Dictionary Entries Near self-reliance

Cite this Entry

“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-reliance. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-reliance

noun
self-re·​li·​ance
ˌsel-fri-ˈlī-ənts
: trust in one's own efforts and abilities
self-reliant
-ənt
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on self-reliance

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