self-sufficient

adjective

self-suf·​fi·​cient ˌself-sə-ˈfi-shənt How to pronounce self-sufficient (audio)
Synonyms of self-sufficientnext
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

Synonyms of self-sufficient

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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.
Here are a few more tips from our experts on raising a self-sufficient child in the face of the snowplow parenting trend. — Cheryl Maguire, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026 This massive deal underscores the AI compute arms race, with Nscale building a self-sufficient Monarch Compute Campus. — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 This year, its highly self-sufficient Crossover series draws closer than ever before to the Venture S, mirroring it outside and in. — New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026 How to Maintain a Micropond Microponds are fairly self-sufficient, especially with water-cleaning plants. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for self-sufficient

See All Rhymes for self-sufficient

Browse Nearby Words

self-sufficiency
self-sufficient
self-sufficing
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-sufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-sufficient. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

self-sufficient

adjective
self-suf·​fi·​cient
ˌself-sə-ˈfish-ənt
: able to take care of oneself without outside help : independent
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All