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.
“It’s part self-care, part status signal, part algorithm bait,” she adds.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
She referenced research published earlier this month, which highlighted a "bi-directional relationship" in which mental health problems that "impair self-care behaviours" could cause diabetes complications, and in turn "further impair mental health".
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
However, "That self-care piece is not really an America workplace value," Wigler said.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
“Users may misinterpret AI-generated content as expert guidance,” they wrote, “potentially resulting in delayed treatment, inappropriate self-care, or misplaced trust in non-validated information.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026
“Grace is a wreck before the curtain goes up on opening night. Talk about someone who could probably use some self-care right now!”
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
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.
