self-employed

adjective

self-em·​ployed ˌself-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce self-employed (audio)
Synonyms of self-employednext
: earning income directly from one's own business, trade, or profession rather than as a specified salary or wages from an employer
self-employed noun

Examples of self-employed 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.
Meyer has been self-employed as a marketing consultant since 2016, according to his LinkedIn page. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026 Ultimately, the policy question isn't whether more Americans should become self-employed. — Maria Flynn, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Arrest’s effect on life and work Dillon was self-employed as a commercial crabber and was arrested during a particularly lucrative time of the year for his occupation, the lawsuit said. — ArsTechnica, 10 June 2026 The self-employed can also opt in, receiving 80% of their average weekly net earnings. — Eileen Appelbaum, Mercury News, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-employed

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-employed was in 1916

Rhymes for self-employed

See All Rhymes for self-employed

Browse Nearby Words

self-emasculation
self-employed
self-employment
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Cite this Entry

“Self-employed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-employed. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

self-employed

adjective
self-em·​ployed
ˌsel-fim-ˈplȯid
: earning income from one's own business or profession rather than salary or wages from an employer

More from Merriam-Webster on self-employed

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for self-employed

Nglish: Translation of self-employed for Spanish Speakers

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