self-made
Americanadjective
-
having succeeded in life unaided.
He is a self-made man.
-
made by oneself.
adjective
-
having achieved wealth, status, etc, by one's own efforts
-
made by oneself
Etymology
Origin of self-made
First recorded in 1605–15
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.
By 2014, she was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Parton was a successful and shrewd businesswoman, and in 2022 was listed by Forbes as one of America's richest self-made women, external.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Nearly one in five teens already own a Cash App card, Templeton said, and the company allows users to customize their cards with colors, self-made illustrations and glow-in-the-dark features.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
His wealth represents a sort of aspirational model for many people of that class, even though he inherited his wealth, mostly thank to the reality show that portrayed him as a hugely successful self-made businessman.
From Salon ● Jun. 16, 2026
How all self-made men found what they needed to know in bookstores.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
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.
