self-reliance

[ self-ri-lahy-uhns, self- ]

noun

1. reliance on oneself or one's own powers, resources, etc.

self-reliance

noun

1. reliance on one's own abilities, decisions, etc

“Self-Reliance”

1. (1841) An essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson that advises the reader to “Trust thyself” and argues that “whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.” It is the source of several well-known epigrams , such as “To be great is to be misunderstood” and “ A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds .”

Derived Forms

• ˌself-reˈliant, adjective
• ˌself-reˈliantly, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-reliance¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

And cowboys, working the grueling cattle drives, came to embody values linked to the frontier: self-reliance, strength and independence.

From Salon

"We will be a voice for decent mainstream Scotland and the values of hard work, self-reliance, and value for taxpayers."

From BBC

The Times spoke with Lin about his efforts to keep Taiwanese talent ahead as the race for self-reliance in chips heats up, and how that competition is changing the industry.

From Los Angeles Times

On the stunning Kenyan coast, about halfway between 15th-century ruins and the vibrant city of Mombasa, a small factory is helping to achieve one of Africa’s biggest health care goals: self-reliance.

From New York Times

“I associated boyhood with cool-headed stoicism, rugged self-reliance, the freedom to live on my own terms,” Bossier writes in “Cactus Country,” their bracing memoir about the experience.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• autonomy
• self-determination
• self-government
• self-rule
• self-sufficiency
• sovereignty