self-reliant

adjective

self-re·​li·​ant ˌself-ri-ˈlī-ənt How to pronounce self-reliant (audio)
: having confidence in and exercising one's own powers or judgment

Examples of self-reliant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The rioters, including men deputized by the civil officials, eventually descended on Greenwood, a neighborhood so self-reliant that it had become known as Black Wall Street. Audra D. S. Burch, New York Times, 7 Nov. 2023 The 1964 film, which starred Julie Andrews, who won an Oscar for her performance, depicts a sensible and self-reliant British nanny with magical powers. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2023 Accustomed to her dad forgetting her pickup time, happily self-reliant Hana has walked home. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2023 The people here are compelled by their isolation to be self-reliant — the island is 27 miles to the nearest major grocery store on the mainland, and there’s only a single two-lane road — with no stoplight — out of town. Lori Rozsa, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023 Some of their breakthroughs, such as the nuclear tests that began in the mid-1970s, brought sanctions and restrictions on knowledge sharing that forced the scientists to become self-reliant for leaps forward. Mujib Mashal, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2023 American men’s isolation stems in large part from a pervasive cultural belief, experts say: that men should be self-reliant and hide their emotions, especially from other men. Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2023 Men are also taught to be self-reliant and not ask for help, Tran added, which can lead to anger, stress, anxiety, and depression. Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2023 The successful Latino criticizes nothing, because the successful Latino is grateful, dedicated and self-reliant. J.p Brammer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2023 See More

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

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-reliant was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near self-reliant

Cite this Entry

“Self-reliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-reliant. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!