self-affirmation

noun

self-af·​fir·​ma·​tion ˌself-ˌa-fər-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce self-affirmation (audio)
plural self-affirmations
: the act of affirming one's own worthiness and value as an individual for beneficial effect (such as increasing one's confidence or raising self-esteem)
Patients were also asked to use self-affirmation to help them overcome obstacles to getting better by recalling moments in their lives they were proud of, such as a graduation.Lauren Paxman
also : a statement of self-affirmation
"When I look in the mirror and I see something that I don't like, I change that thought instantly into a self-affirmation where I say, '… You are beautiful. You're worthy of love and you're worthy of a happy and healthy life,'" she [Demi Lovato] told Dr. Phil … Rachel McRady

Examples of self-affirmation in a Sentence

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.
Attracting and appealing to fickle audiences who have been trained to expect media venues to provide them not just with information but self-affirmation is only part of the problem afflicting the industry. Noah Rothman, National Review, 20 Nov. 2024 The mood remains meditative, but in a folky, not new-agey sense — her newest songs have as much self-doubt as self-affirmation, and definitely more acoustic instruments than synths. Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2024 The song found the artist spitting bars with self-affirmations, boasting about her accomplishments and silencing her various haters. Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019 Churches are sacred spaces in which to have open, honest conversations about self-realization and self-affirmation. W. Franklyn Richardson, STAT, 10 June 2024 Early research suggests that TikTok may be fueling that type of polarization, feeding each user their own personal self-affirmation chamber. Christian Paz, Vox, 5 June 2024 So part of my evolution in many ways is self-affirmation and self-love. Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Jan. 2024 The benefits of affirmation have been documented, with one study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences linking self-affirmation as the initiator that propels Black children forward and creates an environment that nurtures their potential. Whitney Roberts, Parents, 15 Dec. 2023 Coherence is the cognitive component of self-affirmation, which refers to being able to make sense of life events and find meaning in them. Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-affirmation was in 1824

Dictionary Entries Near self-affirmation

Cite this Entry

“Self-affirmation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-affirmation. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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