self-contained

American  

[self-kuhn-teynd, self-] / ˈsɛlf kənˈteɪnd, ˌsɛlf- /

adjective

1. containing in oneself or itself all that is necessary; independent.

2. reserved or uncommunicative.

3. self-controlled or self-possessed.

4. (of a machine or mechanism) complete in itself.

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self-contained British  

adjective

1. containing within itself all parts necessary for completeness

2. (of a flat) having its own kitchen, bathroom, and lavatory not shared by others and usually having its own entrance

3. able or tending to keep one's feelings, thoughts, etc, to oneself; reserved

4. able to control one's feelings or emotions in the presence of others

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Other Word Forms

• self-containedness
  noun
• self-containedly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of self-contained

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

self-contained

This, the spokesperson said, included former military sites that were "designed to be self-contained to reduce impact on the local community".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Hope Jahren, a geobiologist and plant researcher, describes her laboratory as a refuge, a church and a self-contained world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

But there’s also a nostalgia for catalogs as self-contained and curated; a static set of choices rather than pages and pages of search results.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

“I do think there is something here about the rich just operating in almost a self-contained economy — a cloud city — where they’re all trading money with one another,” said Richards of Groundwork Collaborative.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 13, 2026

It is lighter than a Chemturion, and unlike a Chemturion, it is fully portable, with a self-contained breathing apparatus.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• autonomous
• self-governing
• self-sufficient
• self-supporting