self-care
Americannoun
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the act of attending to one’s physical or mental health, generally without medical or other professional consultation (often used attributively).
It’s been a rough week, so this weekend is all about self-care through exercise.
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the products or practices used to comfort or soothe oneself (often used attributively): Taking a bath is a great self-care activity when you’re feeling stressed.
Seeing friends is my self-care.
Taking a bath is a great self-care activity when you’re feeling stressed.
Etymology
Origin of self-care
First recorded in 1860–65
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.
“And from that perspective, cutting you off becomes a virtuous act of self-care and protecting my mental health.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
"It's just really chic. And I love less is more, I love minimalism... less consumerism and just self-care things that you could probably do at home."
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
A further warning sign is when work starts affecting basic self-care, she says.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Finch’s approach to wellness is to gamify self-care.
From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026
Mom’s big on self-care, and she’s always saying that when you take better care of yourself, you’re more productive, less stressed, and better at decision-making.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
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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.
