self-employment

noun

self-em·​ploy·​ment ˌself-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce self-employment (audio)
: the state of being self-employed

Examples of self-employment 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.
Others might be contract or self-employment situations, as is often the case with hair stylists. Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025 Social Security is funded through the 6.2% payroll and self-employment tax, income tax revenue from people who pay income tax on their Social Security benefits, and interest income from loans to the government in the form of U.S. Treasury securities. Thomas Hager, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025 The earnings test includes wages and self-employment income, but doesn’t include withdrawals from retirement accounts. Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2025 This shift alone saved them tens of thousands annually in self-employment taxes. Gary Galstyan, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-employment

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-employment was in 1834

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-employment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-employment. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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!