self-care

noun

ˌself-ˈker 

: care for oneself

stroke victims capable of daily self-care

the necessity of busy working parents to take time for self-care

specifically : health care provided by oneself often without the consultation of a medical professional

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are a common route for self-care, and consumers are eagerly using them …

—Alison Stein Wellner

—sometimes used before another noun

At-home screening is one side of the burgeoning self-care movement …

—Stephen Rae

Examples of self-care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her favorite candles Tyla’s travel routine is heavy on self-care—including fragrance. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 18 Apr. 2025

Get support—talk to a therapist, practice self-care, and set clear boundaries. —Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025

This has helped frame cannabis as a tool for self-care rather than a vice. —Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025

For the ultimate self-care moment, start with the body wash to cleanse and refresh, then follow up with the body oil to seal in hydration. —Tira Urquhart, Essence, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-care

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Medical Definition

self-care

noun

-ˈke(ə)r 

: care for oneself : self-treatment