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
Meanwhile, China’s leaders don’t want to be a junior partner to the West and have girded the economy to be more self-reliant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 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
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
She was adult and self-reliant, and there was nothing she needed from anyone.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
