self-imposed

American

[self-im-pohzd, self-] / ˈsɛlf ɪmˈpoʊzd, ˌsɛlf- /

adjective

imposed on one by oneself.

a self-imposed task.

self-imposed British

adjective

(of a task, role, or circumstance) having been imposed on oneself by oneself

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of self-imposed

First recorded in 1775–85

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.

The former monarch, 87, has lived in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates since 2020 after a series of extramarital and financial scandals tarnished his reputation.

From Barron's

She expressed a desire for more wriggle room in the spreadsheets against her self-imposed fiscal rules – so-called "headroom".

From BBC

The chancellor is giving herself more headroom in her numbers – more space before breaking her self-imposed rules to reassure the markets.

From BBC

The OBR said that the measures would give the government more margin for error as it tries to meet its self-imposed fiscal rules.

From Barron's

The government will meet its self-imposed fiscal rules with an increased margin for error after the measures, the Office for Budget Responsibility said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023