self-reliance

noun

ˌself-ri-ˈlī-ənts How to pronounce self-reliance (audio)
Definition of self-reliancenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of self-reliance But her perspective is internet-era cosmopolitan; young but preternaturally wise about self-reliance. — Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 At camp, children often learn about patriotism, discipline, cooperation, leadership and self-reliance. — Seth T. Kannarr, Fortune, 13 July 2026 Our founding principles, articulated in 1776, emphasized self-reliance, resolve in the face of adversity, and the courage to compete on terms of one’s own choosing. — Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026 Rising oil prices and fuel shortages have spurred calls for Africa to move toward greater self-reliance. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reliance
  1. independence
  2. autonomy
  3. self-sufficiency
Noun
  • Some 13,000 people died in Kosovo's war, which saw ethnic Albanians launch a rebellion to gain independence from Serbia.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Part of its independence means that the mission does not participate in the Homeless Management Information System, a database maintained by LAHSA to track homeless people engaged with the system.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of independence
Noun
  • The mission-management and autonomy components communicated through OMS and UCI rather than through custom point-to-point interfaces.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Here's where autonomy stops being binary and starts being a loop.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of autonomy
Noun
  • That gap highlights why China’s semiconductor self-sufficiency drive involves more than producing domestic chips.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Farther down the same rice belt, Indonesia's agriculture ministry counts more than 30,000 hectares of rice hit by drought, over 12,000 of them a total loss, in a country that recently halted rice imports in the name of self-sufficiency.
    — Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of self-sufficiency

Browse Nearby Words

self-regulating
self-reliance
self-reliant
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Cite this Entry

“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reliance. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of self-reliance for Spanish Speakers

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