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

As Rickey, a flighty self-starter who just can’t seem to get started, Angarano is wildly funny and also painfully familiar.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2025

She’s a natural, a self-starter, a quick learner, a hard bargainer, a mistress of disguise — really just putting on a wig, some good clothes and a posh British or American accent.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2024

That, coupled with her undimmed energy as a self-starter, resulted in the Benedetti Foundation, a music education project she started in 2019, which provides large-group opportunities for string players of all abilities.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2023

It sounds like you’re raising an industrious self-starter!

From Slate • Sep. 6, 2021

Their son was a self-starter, a little bit of a loner, and very self-sufficient.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston