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Synonyms

self-styled

American  
[self-stahyld] / ˈsɛlfˈstaɪld /

adjective

  1. styled, called, or considered by oneself as specified.

    a self-styled leader.
self-styled British  

adjective

  1. (prenominal) claiming to be of a specified nature, quality, profession, etc

    a self-styled expert
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of self-styled

First recorded in 1815–25

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.

The move comes as Shell faces scrutiny after his Paramount bosses hired a law firm to investigate his surreptitious dealings with Cipriani, a self-styled “fixer.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Kwiyup typifies a new class of self-styled entrepreneurs who might traditionally be called freelancers and side hustlers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

A self-styled anti-corruption crusader, Yoon rose from star prosecutor to South Korean president in just a few years.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Since entering politics, the self-styled revolutionary has been imprisoned and faced several criminal charges.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

The inheritors of Mozart’s legacy in the twentieth century - classically-trained, self-styled ‘serious’ composers - struggled desperately with this challenge.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

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.