: made such by one's own actions
especially : having achieved success or prominence by one's own efforts
a self-made man

Examples of self-made in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Smart, successful, and self-made, Bozoma is unafraid to speak her mind. Dave Quinn, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024 Roughly 67% of The Forbes 400 are self-made, including all four of the Black members. Jabari Young, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 Against a backdrop of muted domestic malaise and sinister forces that are mostly unseen, Davis and kid star Wiseman (acting way beyond his years) expertly navigate Amelia and Samuel’s very personal hell — a painful prison that’s not self-made but fortified by its captives’ denial. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024 My parents are both self-made and highly aware of finances and money. R29 Team, refinery29.com, 12 Feb. 2024 Trone has been clear that his fortune is self-made, pointing to humble beginnings on a farm. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 14 May 2024 In contrast to the tech sector, where leaders tend to be young and self-made, when working with those coming from inherently hierarchical fields, one’s first challenge as a coach is often convincing clients that leadership is a realistic aspiration. - Carol Geffner, CB Vision LLC. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Without a publicist, gossip blogs, a reality show, or paparazzi following him about Europe to document his every indiscretion, his reputation was self-made — and self-promoted. Gaile Robinson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2024 While students can pin photos onto corkboards, there are other creative ways to frame pictures, such as suspending them from an overhead chandelier or hanging them from a clothes lines strung across the wall, either of which can be bought or self-made. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-made was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near self-made

Cite this Entry

“Self-made.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-made. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-made

adjective
ˈself-ˈmād
1
: made by one's own actions
2
: raised from poverty by one's own efforts
a self-made person

More from Merriam-Webster on self-made

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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