as in independence
the ability to care for one's self
some people don't achieve self-reliance until they're over 30 years old
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Recent Examples of self-reliance
Beijing’s decision to double down on self-reliance underscores the urgency of weaning itself off Western technology.
—
John Liu, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Push for self-reliance Despite the growth in sales volumes across several automakers, China’s EV market is still grappling with slowing demand, at least partially due to the imposition of a 5% purchase tax on new energy vehicles, after previously being exempted from the full 10% tax.
—Matthew Chin,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
China cut its growth target, closing a decades-long chapter of breakneck expansion, but maintained a focus on high-tech advancement, defense modernization, and economic self-reliance.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Coping mechanisms Participants described self-reliance as essential to coping with incarceration and life after release.
—Helena Addison, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
John Liu, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Push for self-reliance Despite the growth in sales volumes across several automakers, China’s EV market is still grappling with slowing demand, at least partially due to the imposition of a 5% purchase tax on new energy vehicles, after previously being exempted from the full 10% tax.
—Matthew Chin,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
China cut its growth target, closing a decades-long chapter of breakneck expansion, but maintained a focus on high-tech advancement, defense modernization, and economic self-reliance.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Coping mechanisms Participants described self-reliance as essential to coping with incarceration and life after release.
—Helena Addison, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reliance
Noun
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Elder law experts warn that the best protection against uncertainty, exploitation or government infringement of your independence is to plan ahead, early and often.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Her journey takes her to the soirées of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love and reinvention.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As Fortune reported in January, many workers whose productivity has genuinely improved with AI still describe a quiet sense of loss—of craft, of autonomy, of the slower rhythms that once defined skilled work.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
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Too, though the Basque Country is today is fully integrated into Spain, while retaining a great deal of autonomy, as well as its unique language and culture, the region’s relationship with the Iberian nation is shadowed by its history as the home of terrorist organization ETA.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Now we’re bifurcated, with roughly a third of our households not meeting self-sufficiency standards, and more than a third achieving wealth that was unimaginable a generation ago.—
Russell Hancock,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
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That’s the kind of self-sufficiency a greenhouse makes possible.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reliance. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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