self-made
Americanadjective
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having succeeded in life unaided.
He is a self-made man.
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made by oneself.
adjective
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having achieved wealth, status, etc, by one's own efforts
-
made by oneself
Etymology
Origin of self-made
First recorded in 1605–15
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.
Thirty-four of the entrants to that particular list have self-made fortunes - and nearly a third are linked to London-based AI start-ups.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
From the moment he swept to power in January 2001 Thaksin, a brash, self-made billionaire, has sought to reshape his country, winning devoted supporters and bitter opponents in equal measure.
From BBC • May 10, 2026
Another consistent factor in our rankings: The lists are dominated by self-made individuals and founders, rather than career CEOs who didn’t build companies from scratch, but took established businesses to the next level.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026
Insecurity among the self-made is often nuclear-powered from deep within a fragile psyche.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
He’d say something through his self-made bass, drums, and crisp hi-hats, and Clayton spoke back with his harp.
From "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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.
