self-expression

American  

[self-ik-spresh-uhn, self-] / ˈsɛlf ɪkˈsprɛʃ ən, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. the expression or assertion of one's own personality, as in conversation, behavior, poetry, or painting.

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self-expression British  

noun

1. the expression of one's own personality, feelings, etc, as in painting, poetry, or other creative activity

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Other Word Forms

• self-expressive adjective

Etymology

Origin of self-expression

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

But in music, she found connection and self-expression.

From Los Angeles Times

The colorful trove of items will trace “Bowie’s creative processes as a musical innovator, cultural icon, and advocate for self-expression,” the museum said in a statement.

From Washington Post

Combine that spirit with the prevalent mainstreaming of DNA testing as a self-expression device in a culture where large numbers of people publicly diarize their every move and opinion.

From Salon

When did I start thinking of peaceful self-expression as an automatic provocation to violence?

From Salon

One of the protests’ important functions is to provide a respite from the violence, structural and personal, faced by community members, to make room for joy, self-expression and, reliably, dancing.

From New York Times