as in independence
the ability to care for one's self
self-sufficiency is a goal that all teenagers should work towards
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Recent Examples of self-sufficiency
This new program would have a two-year limit on assistance for beneficiaries, with the exception of the elderly and individuals with disabilities, to incentivize self-sufficiency among able-bodied recipients.
—
Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
China’s Xi Jinping has pushed long-term industrial and technology agendas, lifting millions from poverty while reorienting China toward self-sufficiency.
—Joel Shulman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Some biologists theorize that early human fetuses’ heads risked growing too large to pass through the pelvis; others believe that gestating brains required too much energy for a pregnant woman to sustain them through self-sufficiency.
—Elissa Strauss, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025
Who knew self-sufficiency could feel this good—and smell mostly okay.
—Kimberley Mok, Travel + Leisure, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-sufficiency
Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
China’s Xi Jinping has pushed long-term industrial and technology agendas, lifting millions from poverty while reorienting China toward self-sufficiency.
—Joel Shulman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Some biologists theorize that early human fetuses’ heads risked growing too large to pass through the pelvis; others believe that gestating brains required too much energy for a pregnant woman to sustain them through self-sufficiency.
—Elissa Strauss, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025
Who knew self-sufficiency could feel this good—and smell mostly okay.
—Kimberley Mok, Travel + Leisure, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-sufficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-sufficiency
Noun
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The craft seller at a roadside market is earning her independence.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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The trial and prosecution of Bolsonaro became a test for the independence of Brazilian judiciary, which did not buckle under domestic or international political pressure.—
Adriana Carranca,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The English song is inspired by ‘90s boom bap hip-hop, exuding the singer’s self-assurance, autonomy, and fearless nature.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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From Kerouac’s On the Road to Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise, the car has been our cultural shorthand for autonomy and escape.—
Henrietta Moore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Radical self-reliance is a key tenet of Burning Man.—
Denver Nicks,
Rolling Stone,
14 Sep. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Self-sufficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-sufficiency. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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