self-reliant
Americanadjective
Other Word 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
China’s energy-security strategy is one aspect of a broader campaign to become as self-reliant as possible to guard against intensifying global volatility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026
Another potential positive: Increased demand for the country’s asset-heavy companies—shipbuilding, shipping, defense, and electric energy—in a push to boost national security and become more self-reliant.
From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026
As a farmer’s daughter, Elizebeth had the skills to be self-reliant, but it was hard to find the time—and the supplies.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
