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.
By 2014, she was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Nearly one in five teens already own a Cash App card, Templeton said, and the company allows users to customize their cards with colors, self-made illustrations and glow-in-the-dark features.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
His wealth represents a sort of aspirational model for many people of that class, even though he inherited his wealth, mostly thank to the reality show that portrayed him as a hugely successful self-made businessman.
From Salon ● Jun. 16, 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
His name is John Tu, and he’s a self-made millionaire.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
