self-soothe

American  

[self-sooth] / ˈsɛlfˈsuð /

verb (used without object)

1. (of an infant or child) to stop fussing or crying, especially at naptime or bedtime, without receiving comfort from a parent or other caregiver.

   Don’t expect all babies to self-soothe as readily as this little sweetheart.

2. to comfort oneself when experiencing sadness or distress.

   I need to go home and self-soothe with a comfy blanket and a large glass of wine.

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Etymology

Origin of self-soothe

First recorded in 1980–85; self- ( def. ) + soothe ( def. )

Example Sentences

I was an angry child and had to self-soothe a lot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

Over the last six years of recovery, I’ve learned how to take full accountability for my own life, how to self-soothe, and how to become securely attached to myself.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025

Deep breath in, slow breath out… Isn't it odd that we can self-soothe by slowing down our breathing?

From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 2024

In addition, there are alternative ways to help babies learn to self-soothe at night that include responding to infant distress.

From Salon • Dec. 9, 2022

We would sleep curled against each other like puppies, rubbing our feet together against the mattress to self-soothe — our oldest shared habit.

From New York Times • Mar. 12, 2021