: made such by one's own actions
especially : having achieved success or prominence by one's own efforts
a self-made man

Examples of self-made in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Three-quarters of these 431 women inherited part of their fortunes, while the remaining billionaires are self-made. Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024 Now, Wiley, who is self-made, has everything to lose. Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024 Smart, successful, and self-made, Bozoma is unafraid to speak her mind. Dave Quinn, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024 Roughly 67% of The Forbes 400 are self-made, including all four of the Black members. Jabari Young, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 Against a backdrop of muted domestic malaise and sinister forces that are mostly unseen, Davis and kid star Wiseman (acting way beyond his years) expertly navigate Amelia and Samuel’s very personal hell — a painful prison that’s not self-made but fortified by its captives’ denial. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024 My parents are both self-made and highly aware of finances and money. R29 Team, refinery29.com, 12 Feb. 2024 Trone has been clear that his fortune is self-made, pointing to humble beginnings on a farm. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 14 May 2024 In contrast to the tech sector, where leaders tend to be young and self-made, when working with those coming from inherently hierarchical fields, one’s first challenge as a coach is often convincing clients that leadership is a realistic aspiration. - Carol Geffner, CB Vision LLC. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-made was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near self-made

Cite this Entry

“Self-made.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-made. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-made

adjective
ˈself-ˈmād
1
: made by one's own actions
2
: raised from poverty by one's own efforts
a self-made person

More from Merriam-Webster on self-made

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!