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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Recent Examples of self-reliance
These times will teach you resilience, self-reliance and the ability to appreciate that change brings opportunities.
—
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Sarah’s sense of ingenuity and self-reliance was hard won.
—Jessica Pishko, New Yorker, 15 July 2025
The shows are also considered a powerful symbol of Puerto Rican self-reliance and the belief that the US territory can stand tall on its own, says Javier J. Hernández Acosta, dean of the School of Arts, Design and Creative Industries at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
But for policymakers, intense competition could help achieve industrial upgrading and self-reliance.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Sarah’s sense of ingenuity and self-reliance was hard won.
—Jessica Pishko, New Yorker, 15 July 2025
The shows are also considered a powerful symbol of Puerto Rican self-reliance and the belief that the US territory can stand tall on its own, says Javier J. Hernández Acosta, dean of the School of Arts, Design and Creative Industries at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
But for policymakers, intense competition could help achieve industrial upgrading and self-reliance.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reliance
Noun
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Powell has come under massive pressure from Trump this year, whose attacks over interest rates have raised the possibility that the era of Fed independence could be coming to an end.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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The event will conclude with El Grito, the traditional Mexican call for independence, followed by a fireworks show.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The company’s vision: a system that lets drivers take Zoom calls while the vehicle does the driving—that is, once Level 3 vehicle autonomy is reached and cars can reliably drive themselves under certain conditions.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 Aug. 2025
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Venus will be making an opposition to Pluto retrograde in your sign, creating tension and friction between your personal autonomy and a lover’s desires.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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As external aid declines and donor priorities shift, self-sufficiency becomes both a strategic and financial imperative.—
Francisca Mutapi,
semafor.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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With Mercury retrograde in your sign starting on the 15th, old fears around your self-sufficiency might be resurfacing.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reliance. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
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