as in independence
the ability to care for one's self
some people don't achieve self-reliance until they're over 30 years old
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-reliance
Since 2018, Xi has set aside integration and made self-reliance the organizing principle of China’s national strategy.
—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Beijing is moving to limit any H200 inflow despite Washington’s approval, according to the Financial Times—an unmistakable signal that self-reliance beats convenience.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Written by bandmembers Wharff, Ryan Atchison and Garrett Howell, this song makes a stark reflection on the futility of self-reliance, while expressing gratefulness to a higher power for renewal.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
This quest for self-reliance is not just about economics but explicitly tied to national security.
—Shaoyu Yuan, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Beijing is moving to limit any H200 inflow despite Washington’s approval, according to the Financial Times—an unmistakable signal that self-reliance beats convenience.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Written by bandmembers Wharff, Ryan Atchison and Garrett Howell, this song makes a stark reflection on the futility of self-reliance, while expressing gratefulness to a higher power for renewal.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
This quest for self-reliance is not just about economics but explicitly tied to national security.
—Shaoyu Yuan, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reliance
Noun
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Gold also continued its rally as investors are flocking to the safe haven amid challenges to the Federal Reserve’s independence and a weakening dollar.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Following the country’s independence in 1991, the Kazakhstan Premier League was formed, a competition that Kairat have won five times — including the last two editions in 2024 and 2025.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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True autonomy demands a fundamentally different approach — a unified system that perceives, decides, and acts with the entire body at once.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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Gains have largely reflect optimism about its opportunities in autonomy and energy storage.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Beijing has increasingly made clear its efforts to build technological self-sufficiency and hold its own on the global stage.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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By responding to countries’ push for self-sufficiency, the School Meals Accelerator represents a new approach to development that can withstand the challenges of the current aid climate.—
Reem Alabali Radovan,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reliance. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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