self-starter

American  

[self-stahr-ter] / ˈsɛlfˈstɑr tər /

noun

1. starter.

2. Informal. a person who begins work or undertakes a project on their own initiative, without needing to be told or encouraged to do so.

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self-starter British  

noun

1. the former name for a starter

2. a person who is strongly motivated and shows initiative, esp at work

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Other Word Forms

• self-starting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of self-starter

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

self-starter

Essentially, the man appears to be opting out of the medical establishment altogether, while using his own girlfriend and his “clone baby” as experimental proving grounds for self-starter cures involving lots of peptides.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

So when you croon the lines, you need to both gently guide them so they’re not intimidated, but also motivate them to be an independent self-starter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2023

You have been improvising so much the last several years in your career; you have been a self-starter.

From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2020

According to Ms. Smith, Edith Gregor Halpert was a “formidable, feisty and sometimes manipulative self-starter with an ecumenical eye, a passion for art and an inborn instinct for sales and promotion.”

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2019

I emphasized my ability to work independently, that I was a self-starter and had excellent time management skills.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad