self-starter

American  

[self-stahr-ter] / ˈsɛlfˈstɑr tər /

noun

1. starter.

2. Informal. a person who begins work or undertakes a project on their own initiative, without needing to be told or encouraged to do so.

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self-starter British  

noun

1. the former name for a starter

2. a person who is strongly motivated and shows initiative, esp at work

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Other Word Forms

• self-starting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of self-starter

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

As Rickey, a flighty self-starter who just can’t seem to get started, Angarano is wildly funny and also painfully familiar.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2025

So when you croon the lines, you need to both gently guide them so they’re not intimidated, but also motivate them to be an independent self-starter.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2023

Gas-powered cars were becoming more reliable and easier to operate; the adoption of the self-starter made them safer.

From Washington Post • Sep. 23, 2021

According to Ms. Smith, Edith Gregor Halpert was a “formidable, feisty and sometimes manipulative self-starter with an ecumenical eye, a passion for art and an inborn instinct for sales and promotion.”

From New York Times • Nov. 28, 2019

Their son was a self-starter, a little bit of a loner, and very self-sufficient.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston