self-reliant
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-reliant
First recorded in 1840–50
Vocabulary lists containing self-reliant
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s all very self-reliant farmers and ranchers out here. We don’t want any property tax.”
From Salon • May 3, 2026
"If Europe wants to get invested in nuclear or renewable energies with the aim of being more self-reliant and energy secure, that will take time."
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
Chinese officials have encouraged businesses to align themselves with the national goal of becoming self-reliant in technology, particularly in areas like chips.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
The charity further states that it hopes, by providing children in the foster care system with a stable, comfortable environment, it will enable them to grow into “responsible, self-reliant adults.”
From MarketWatch • Feb. 19, 2026
In all of this Joe grew continually stronger and ever more self-reliant.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
