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
-
Accessibility Nimmo Bay welcomes wheelchair users and guests with limited mobility—cabins and public spaces are accessible with staff support—but full independence can be challenging given the remote setting's rustic boardwalks, floating docks, and uneven natural terrain.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s quips about acquiring the island have ignited international concerns about Greenland’s independence and sovereignty from lawmakers in Washington and NATO allies alike.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
It is built for continuous operation, with a 4-hour battery and hot-swappable autonomy.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
-
In the aftermath, Venezuelan society became further split between the wealthy, who wanted to work with the US, and the working class, who sought autonomy from the US.—
James Trapani,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
China is reportedly poised to approve the imports, despite a top-down push for technology self-sufficiency.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
13 Jan. 2026
-
This means both rapid, flexible investments to address urgent humanitarian needs and sustainable support for civil society and markets to help transition from assistance to self-sufficiency.—
Ciaran Donnelly,
Time,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-support. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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