self-love
noun
: love of self: such as
a
: an appreciation of one's own worth or virtue
Self-love begins when we observe our actions and words with compassion as if we were our own best friend.—
Sara M Bosworth
Sara M BosworthJust as you'd think, it's love—particular, self-love—that makes the world go around.—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.Often we are reluctant to promote self-love mostly because we confuse it with selfishness. Since we are humans, we ought to have a healthy love for ourselves; it is from this fount that love flows out to others.—Mason Olds
Mason Olds
b
: proper regard for and attention to one's own happiness or well-being
Nurturing your body seems simple, but for me it feels like an extreme act of self-love.—Danielle d'Entremont
Danielle d'EntremontLisa Concepcion, a certified professional love life coach and founder of LoveQuest Coaching, says that journaling is an excellent way to practice self-love.—SheKnows
SheKnows
c
: inflated love of or pride in oneself : narcissism, conceit
… individuals ruled by self-love and selfishness …—John Saillant
John Saillant"Then from myself pray understand that I will say nothing to flatter your self-love."—Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope… there was the self-love of those conceited blockheads who … were convinced that they themselves were superior to anything the age could produce.—John Clive
John CliveExamples of self-love in a Sentence
nurtured a self-love that was far greater than any affection she ever felt for another person
Recent Examples on the Web
Your objective is to gain respect and master the art of self-love and giving back.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025
Treat yourself to some self-love with their moisture-wicking undies for workouts or their signature lace for something special for everyday.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
For over three decades, Carol’s Daughter has been at the forefront of the natural hair movement—championing self-love and the beauty of our textures with every campaign and product rollout.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 4 Mar. 2025
On the agenda: consciousness raising, problem sharing, political action and self-love prompts.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-love
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.
Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025
Treat yourself to some self-love with their moisture-wicking undies for workouts or their signature lace for something special for everyday.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
For over three decades, Carol’s Daughter has been at the forefront of the natural hair movement—championing self-love and the beauty of our textures with every campaign and product rollout.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 4 Mar. 2025
On the agenda: consciousness raising, problem sharing, political action and self-love prompts.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-love
Cite this Entry
“Self-love.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-love. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share