self-injury
noun
self-in·ju·ry
ˌself-ˈin-jə-rē 
ˌself-ˈinj-rē
: injury to one's own body
The dog's excessive licking led to self-injury.
especially
: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism : self-harm
The most common forms of self-injury include cutting, burning, punching or banging oneself. … These techniques provide a sense of calm from overwhelming feelings, but the momentary relief is followed by feelings of guilt and shame. —
The Reporter (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
The Reporter (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
self-injure
intransitive verb
self-injured; self-injuring; self-injures
Sufferers have traditionally been met with disgust by doctors, who find their self-injuring offensive.
—Tamala M. Edwards
Tamala M. Edwards
Examples of self-injury in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Documentation he’s recieved list self-injury, natural illness, and homicide, but no drug overdoses.
—Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 10 Oct. 2024
Sometimes, self-injury may be associated with autism or intellectual or developmental disability.
—Amy Morin, Parents, 8 July 2024
This finding is particularly significant given earlier reports of suicidal thoughts and self-injury in people using GLP-1 drugs.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2025
Since the abuse, their son has developed new behaviors, including self-injury, screaming, and running away, the family said.
—Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 8 Dec. 2024
Muscle dysmorphia symptomatology is prospectively associated with suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviors, and non-suicidal self-injury among a sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults
WebMD.
—Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 3 Dec. 2024
That lawsuit alleged the state’s prison system didn’t allow Canter to continue with her hormone therapy regimen, leading to multiple self-injury attempts by Canter and medical issues stemming from estrogen withdrawal.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 4 Nov. 2024
Secondly, while self-injury isn’t necessarily a suicide attempt, data suggests the former can sometimes be a precursor to suicidality.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024
Regulators in both the United States and Europe opened investigations into the issue after reports of possible cases of self-injury and suicidal thoughts among people using the drugs, but both thus far have not identified a link.
—Meg Tirrell, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 10 Oct. 2024
Sometimes, self-injury may be associated with autism or intellectual or developmental disability.
—Amy Morin, Parents, 8 July 2024
This finding is particularly significant given earlier reports of suicidal thoughts and self-injury in people using GLP-1 drugs.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2025
Since the abuse, their son has developed new behaviors, including self-injury, screaming, and running away, the family said.
—Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 8 Dec. 2024
Muscle dysmorphia symptomatology is prospectively associated with suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviors, and non-suicidal self-injury among a sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults
WebMD.
—Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 3 Dec. 2024
That lawsuit alleged the state’s prison system didn’t allow Canter to continue with her hormone therapy regimen, leading to multiple self-injury attempts by Canter and medical issues stemming from estrogen withdrawal.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 4 Nov. 2024
Secondly, while self-injury isn’t necessarily a suicide attempt, data suggests the former can sometimes be a precursor to suicidality.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024
Regulators in both the United States and Europe opened investigations into the issue after reports of possible cases of self-injury and suicidal thoughts among people using the drugs, but both thus far have not identified a link.
—Meg Tirrell, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-injury.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-injury. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share