Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

self-supporting

adjective self-sup·port·ing \ ˌself-sə-ˈpȯr-tiŋ \

Definition of self-supporting

: characterized by self-support: such as
a : meeting one's needs by one's own efforts or output
b : supporting itself or its own weight
  • a self-supporting wall

See self-supporting defined for English-language learners

See self-supporting defined for kids

First Known Use of self-supporting

1632

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

self-supporting Synonyms

Synonyms

independent, self-dependent, self-reliant, self-subsistent, self-subsisting, self-sufficient, self-supported, self-sustained, self-sustaining;

Antonyms

dependent, reliant;

Near Antonyms

helpless, inadequate, incompetent, insufficient;

impotent, weak;

Related Words

autonomous, free, self-determining;

potent, powerful, resilient, strong;

SELF-SUPPORTING Defined for English Language Learners

self-supporting

adjective

Definition of self-supporting for English Language Learners

  • : earning enough money to live without getting help from other people

Learn More about self-supporting

  1. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for self-supporting

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up self-supporting? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

WORD OF THE DAY

gaffer

play

a lighting electrician on a movie set

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. sequacious 'intellectually servile'

  2. inadmissible 'not capable of being allowed'

  3. oligarch, pejorative 'a member a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes'

  4. emolument 'the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites'

  5. troll 'to harass, criticize, or antagonize especially by disparaging or mocking public statements'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

self-supporting

Test Your Vocabulary

The Eponym Quiz

  • rubens-painting
  • Which is the best synonym of bowdlerize?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games