self-employed

adjective

self-em·​ployed ˌself-im-ˈplȯid 

: 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

House Republicans on Wednesday passed a 100-plus-page health care package centered on long-standing GOP priorities, including expanding coverage options for small businesses and the self-employed. —Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025

About half of adults enrolled in the ACA are small business owners, employed by a company with fewer than 25 workers or are self-employed, according to KFF. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025

Upcoming health-care cost increases are particularly worrying the self-employed. —Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025

Texas also set a new record high for having the greatest number of Texans working, including the self-employed, at 15,222,900, in September. —Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 11 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-employed

• albuminoid
• arytenoid
• cannabinoid
• carotenoid
• epidermoid
• epithelioid
• meteoroid
• paraboloid
• subarachnoid
• underemployed
• adenoid
• alkaloid

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