self-harm
noun
: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism
Although most cutters are young women who have been emotionally, sexually, or physically abused as children, [Marilee] Strong's research shows that this specific type of self-harm also appears in other groups.—
Maria Simson et al.
Maria Simson et al.called also self-injury, self-mutilation
self-harm
intransitive verb
self-harmed; self-harming; self-harms
teenagers who self-harm
Examples of self-harm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This study comes as some AI providers are facing lawsuits alleging that chatbots have encouraged self-harm in users struggling with mental health.
—Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
But, the newspaper reported, the change caused harmful psychological effects for vulnerable users, including cases of delusional thinking, dependency, and even self-harm.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025
Instead, its authors rely on misrepresentation of outdated studies to deflect from decades of research linking common-sense interventions to a 60 percent reduction in rates of depression and a 73 percent reduction in self-harm and suicidality.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
One requires that chatbot companions disclose interactions that are AI generated, and another requires that platforms establish protocols to address users who express thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-harm
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Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
But, the newspaper reported, the change caused harmful psychological effects for vulnerable users, including cases of delusional thinking, dependency, and even self-harm.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025
Instead, its authors rely on misrepresentation of outdated studies to deflect from decades of research linking common-sense interventions to a 60 percent reduction in rates of depression and a 73 percent reduction in self-harm and suicidality.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
One requires that chatbot companions disclose interactions that are AI generated, and another requires that platforms establish protocols to address users who express thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-harm
Cite this Entry
“Self-harm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-harm. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
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self-harm
noun
: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism
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