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Synonyms

do-it-yourself

American  
[doo-i-cher-self, -it-yer-] / ˈdu ɪ tʃərˈsɛlf, -ɪt yər- /
DIY,

adjective

  1. of or designed for construction or use by amateurs without special training.

    a do-it-yourself kit for building a radio.

noun

  1. the practice or hobby of building or repairing things for oneself, usually in one's own home.

do-it-yourself British  

noun

    1. the hobby or process of constructing and repairing things oneself

    2. ( as modifier )

      a do-it-yourself kit
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • do-it-yourselfer noun

Etymology

Origin of do-it-yourself

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

What emerges is a story of youth and rebellion and the surprising discipline of do-it-yourself culture.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

Lowe’s has a high do-it-yourself clientele, and this segment historically leads the home-improvement cycle.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

Online services provide do-it-yourself forms for solo agers and people without children.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

California, meanwhile, had the largest outmigration number of do-it-yourself movers for the sixth straight year.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 10, 2026

Manufacturers offer us do-it-yourself booklets on how to kill bugs.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.