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

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 Over the years Philippine counter-trafficking projects have found some ways to increase financial self-reliance, for instance by starting fair trade farming projects. Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Our love for independence and self-reliance cannot help but be synchronous with loneliness. Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025 The very policies and practices that had sustained Black business districts under segregation — captive markets, enforced proximity, and a philosophy of economic self-reliance —were suddenly undermined once Black consumers could freely choose mainstream establishments. Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025 The incident highlights the challenges of policing and ensuring safety in a temporary city of more than 70,000 people built in the isolation of Nevada's Black Rock Desert, raising questions about how the festival can balance its ethos of self-reliance with the realities of crime and public safety. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reliance
Noun
  • The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Writing in conjunction with Anil Kashyap, a University of Chicago professor and adviser to the Chicago Fed, Griffin, the CEO of Citadel, said undermining the independence of the central bank could eventually stoke higher inflation and much higher long-term rates.
    Nick Thomas, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Over all, Zimmerman argues, this autonomy has been a positive force.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Can a single individual have complete autonomy over their life?
    Lana Lin September 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is little evidence that work requirements increase economic self-sufficiency among recipients of housing assistance, according to researchers at NYU.
    Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 29 Sep. 2025
  • These grants will provide crucial support and services to help thousands of Veterans on their journey back to self-sufficiency.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reliance. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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