self-help

noun

ˈself-ˈhelp 

 Southern also  ˈhep

: the action or process of bettering oneself or overcoming one's problems without the aid of others

especially : the coping with one's personal or emotional problems without professional help

self-help adjective

Examples of self-help in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On the slowing earnings growth potential, the analysts relayed management’s confidence in their ability to drive earnings growth through self-help actions like margin improvement, backlog conversion, and capital deployment. —Jeff Marks, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2024

Their sources of revenue included their online businesses which include self-help websites such as the War Room, Hustlers' University, Cobra Tate and also OnlyFans. —Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

Why Self-Investment Matters More Than Ever In today’s world, where self-help is just a click away, those who excel are the ones who go beyond passive learning to active engagement. —Shay Levister, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

Those social media pages no longer mention his work as a body broker but instead promote his newest venture — as a self-help guru. —Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

self-help

noun

ˈself-ˈhelp

: the act of bettering oneself or overcoming one's problems without aid of others

Legal Definition

self-help

noun

ˈself-ˈhelp

: the act of redressing or preventing a wrong by one's own actions rather than through legal proceedings

Note: The Uniform Commercial Code permits creditors to repossess collateral by self-help if it can be done without a breach of the peace.