self-sufficient

Also self-suf·fic·ing

[self-suh-fish-uhnt, self-]

adjective

1. able to supply one's own or its own needs without external assistance.

   The nation grows enough grain to be self-sufficient.

2. having extreme confidence in one's own resources, powers, etc..

   He was self-sufficient, and always reminded you of it.

self-sufficient

adjective

1. able to provide for or support oneself without the help of others

Other Word Forms

• self-sufficiently adverb
• self-sufficiency noun
• unself-sufficiency noun
• unself-sufficient adjective
• unself-sufficiently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-sufficient¹

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

Solar and wind power, meanwhile, don’t yet come close to making the island self-sufficient.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In addition, tradwives stress self-sufficient homemaking skills, such as eating homemade and unprocessed food.

Read more on Salon

If these conservative commentators were really serious about boosting marriage rates, they’d worry less about lecturing women and instead tell their majority male audiences to be more like Kelce — supportive and self-sufficient.

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"We've all got to become much more self-sufficient and generate power ourselves," he explains.

Read more on BBC

Dame Annette Brooke had a strong interest in developing countries and campaigned for microfinance to help the world's poorest people become self-sufficient.

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Related Words

• competent 
• confident 
• efficient 
• self-supporting 
• self-sustaining