as in independence
the ability to care for one's self
hopes to achieve full self-support within a year of graduating from college
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Recent Examples of self-support
Garmire has been setting FKTs for more than a decade, with career highlights including unsupported or self-supported records on the John Muir Trail in California, Vermont’s Long Trail, the Colorado Trail, the Wonderland Trail in Washington, and the Arizona Trail.
—
Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
In one show of self-support, the supplies store that many of the RAD’s artists used — Cheap Joe’s — has been taken over, renamed and reopened by a new couple, Philip and Tina DeAngelo, who already owned a studio in the RAD.
—Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
And for the public, keep it to low-risk self-support — journaling prompts, CBT-style reflections and light coaching — wrapped in clear disclaimers and with instant handoffs to a human whenever risk appears.
—John Samuels, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
But the idea of hiking the PCT self-supported has been percolating for about five years.
—Emily Lapointe, Outside Online, 1 May 2025
Dreyer intended to swim self-supported about 83 miles across Lake Michigan, an ultra-endurance feat expected to take at least 72 hours.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 5 Sep. 2024
Since the self-support era, Tokyo has introduced at least one new plan a decade to improve rural development.
—Fritz Schumann, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2015
Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
In one show of self-support, the supplies store that many of the RAD’s artists used — Cheap Joe’s — has been taken over, renamed and reopened by a new couple, Philip and Tina DeAngelo, who already owned a studio in the RAD.
—Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
And for the public, keep it to low-risk self-support — journaling prompts, CBT-style reflections and light coaching — wrapped in clear disclaimers and with instant handoffs to a human whenever risk appears.
—John Samuels, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
But the idea of hiking the PCT self-supported has been percolating for about five years.
—Emily Lapointe, Outside Online, 1 May 2025
Dreyer intended to swim self-supported about 83 miles across Lake Michigan, an ultra-endurance feat expected to take at least 72 hours.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 5 Sep. 2024
Since the self-support era, Tokyo has introduced at least one new plan a decade to improve rural development.
—Fritz Schumann, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-support
Noun
-
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
Long before the United States declared independence from King George III, generations of Savannahians were laid to rest at Colonial Park Cemetery, a burial ground that witnessed the colonial era, the Revolution, epidemics and the city’s early growth.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Black Moon Lilith in Sagittarius opposes the new moon in Gemini, propelling us to revolt against the status quo and insist on autonomy.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
10 June 2026
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The 230-foot Project Zero, currently nearing launch at Vitters shipyard in the Netherlands, will be powered entirely by renewable energy, enabling up to two weeks of autonomy at sea and a virtually unlimited range.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Ending free movement did not create a smooth transition to domestic labor self-sufficiency.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
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The supply of properties that check all these boxes — functional ranch infrastructure, winery entitlements, the land and water profile that makes genuine self-sufficiency possible — is finite in ways that new construction can’t solve.—
Lindsey Harn,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-support. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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