self-harm

noun

ˌself-ˈhärm 

: 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.

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

That same year, a worker was found to have hit a child, and another review concluded that staff failed to prevent a client from engaging in self-harm. —Jeff McDonald, Mercury News, 12 May 2025

Show contains references to self-harm and partial nudity. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2025

Police said Sunday the plot was orchestrated by a group promoting hate speech and the radicalization of teenagers, including self-harm and violent content as a form of social belonging. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 6 May 2025

The grandmother had reportedly self-harmed, the outlet reported. —Becca Longmire, People.com, 6 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-harm

• alarm
• disarm
• forearm
• gendarme
• nonfarm
• rearm
• arm
• charm
• farm
• harm
• firearm
• underarm

Kids Definition

self-harm

noun

ˌself-ˈhärm 

: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism