self-love

noun

ˌself-ˈləv 

: love of self: such as

a

: an appreciation of one's own worth or virtue

Self-love begins when we observe our actions and words with compassion as if we were our own best friend.

—Sara M Bosworth

Just as you'd think, it's love—particular, self-love—that makes the world go around.

—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Often we are reluctant to promote self-love mostly because we confuse it with selfishness. Since we are humans, we ought to have a healthy love for ourselves; it is from this fount that love flows out to others.

—Mason Olds

b

: proper regard for and attention to one's own happiness or well-being

Nurturing your body seems simple, but for me it feels like an extreme act of self-love.

—Danielle d'Entremont

Lisa Concepcion, a certified professional love life coach and founder of LoveQuest Coaching, says that journaling is an excellent way to practice self-love.

—SheKnows

c

: inflated love of or pride in oneself : narcissism, conceit

… individuals ruled by self-love and selfishness …

—John Saillant

"Then from myself pray understand that I will say nothing to flatter your self-love."

—Anthony Trollope

… there was the self-love of those conceited blockheads who … were convinced that they themselves were superior to anything the age could produce.

—John Clive

self-loving

ˌself-ˈlə-viŋ 

adjective

Synonyms

• amour propre
• bighead
• complacence
• complacency
• conceit
• conceitedness
• ego
• egotism
• pomposity
• pompousness
• pride
• pridefulness
• self-admiration
• self-assumption
• self-conceit
• self-congratulation
• self-esteem
• self-glory
• self-importance
• self-opinion
• self-satisfaction
• smugness
• swelled head
• swellheadedness
• vaingloriousness
• vainglory
• vainness
• vanity

Examples of self-love in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Burke said that's she's been consistently in therapy for the last decade and has been on a journey of self-love and self-respect. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024

Personal growth, self-love and kindness are favored. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

The mom of four, who recently welcomed son Rocky Thirteen with her husband, drummer Travis Barker, posted some self-love reflections from a tropical getaway with her sisters. —Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024

Williams has also shared her self-love journey with fans. —Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024

In the midst of this ongoing fight, where does your own sense of pride and self-love come from as a Black Brazilian woman? Génot: Therapy. —Brande Victorian, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024

The trek — which began in August in Buenos Aires and stopped in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Bolivia, among other countries — is in support of her ultra-personal album, ALMA, that thrives on emotions, spirituality, reason and an awakening to self-love. —Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024

Love would be abundant in our friendships and in the world with the help of a little more self-love, understanding and grace. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 13 Mar. 2024

Selena Gomez is talking about her self-love journey over the past few years! —Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined above