self-contained

American  

[self-kuhn-taynd, self-] / ˈsɛlf kənˈteɪnd, ˌsɛlf- /

adjective

1. containing in oneself or itself all that is necessary; independent.

2. reserved or uncommunicative.

3. self-controlled or self-possessed.

4. (of a machine or mechanism) complete in itself.

---

self-contained British  

adjective

1. containing within itself all parts necessary for completeness

2. (of a flat) having its own kitchen, bathroom, and lavatory not shared by others and usually having its own entrance

3. able or tending to keep one's feelings, thoughts, etc, to oneself; reserved

4. able to control one's feelings or emotions in the presence of others

---

Other Word Forms

• self-containedness
  noun
• self-containedly
  adverb

---

Etymology

Origin of self-contained

First recorded in 1585–95

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

self-contained

Naylor runs a not-for-profit called the Bed Bug Foundation and has a research laboratory set up in a self-contained two-bedroom suite in his garden in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Founded in 2005 by a family whose business began with a small sweet shop, LPU has grown into a largely self-contained world of hostels and lecture halls, with thousands of young people living on campus.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

This year, even Telluride’s usually self-contained movie bubble couldn’t keep out the existential anxieties surrounding AI.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

At elite institutions, students enter a nearly self-contained community.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

I joined a group of about twenty students from different grades, set off in a self-contained classroom apart from the rest of the school with our own recess, lunch, music, and gym schedules.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• autonomous
• self-governing
• self-sufficient
• self-supporting

---