self-sufficient

adjective

self-suf·​fi·​cient ˌself-sə-ˈfi-shənt How to pronounce self-sufficient (audio)
1
: able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid : capable of providing for one's own needs
a self-sufficient farm
2
: having an extreme confidence in one's own ability or worth : haughty, overbearing

Examples of self-sufficient in a Sentence

the college student worked nights so that he would be self-sufficient
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
His goals now extend beyond financial freedom to raising a self-sufficient and confident individual who can make informed decisions about his future. Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2025 Trump’s rhetoric sometimes suggests that his goal is to make the United States self-sufficient in virtually everything; the last major capitalist economy to achieve such a goal was Nazi Germany. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2025 Whenever a coach is hired at multiple millions per year, we are told that the athletic department is self-sufficient and in fact provides income for the rest of the school. Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2025 Since then, the Navy says the naval station is completely self-sufficient with its own sources for water and power. Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for self-sufficient 

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-sufficient was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near self-sufficient

Cite this Entry

“Self-sufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-sufficient. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-sufficient

adjective
self-suf·​fi·​cient
ˌself-sə-ˈfish-ənt
: able to take care of oneself without outside help : independent

More from Merriam-Webster on self-sufficient

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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