self-made
Americanadjective
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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.
Miller said the whirlwind nature of Babydoll's success had led to accusations he was an "industry plant" - someone who appears to be self-made, while actually having backing from significant investors or supporters.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Last month, Kylie Jenner defended her status as a self-made billionaire for the success of her cosmetics company.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
By 2014, she was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 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
He seemed a druggist in name only; he more closely fit the prevailing ideal of the self-made man who through hard work and invention pulled himself rung by rung into the upper strata of society.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
