by one's own bootstraps

idiom

: without help from other people : as a result of one's own hard work
Despite many obstacles, she has pulled herself up by her own bootstraps.

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Cite this Entry

“By one's own bootstraps.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20one%27s%20own%20bootstraps. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

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