self-identify

American  

[self-ahy-den-ti-fahy, ‐i-den-ti-fahy] / ˈsɛlf aɪˈdɛn tɪˌfaɪ, ‐ɪˈdɛn tɪˌfaɪ /

verb (used without object)

1. identify.

   to self-identify as gay; to self-identify with others in the same situation.

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verb (used with object)

1. identify.

   I've never self-identified myself with that radical mentality. She sometimes self-identifies herself with her patients.

Other Word Forms

• self-identification
  noun

Etymology

Origin of self-identify

First recorded in 1960–65; self ( def. ) + identify ( def. )

Example Sentences

She notes that when a child dies, the surviving children tend to “continue to self-identify in relation to their deceased sibling—keeping their old place in line.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Activists warned that the bill could upend the lives of thousands, and runs counter to a landmark 2014 Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the right of transgender people to self-identify.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Schickler and others said that, according to the latest estimates, more than 3 million registered voters in California self-identify as limited-English proficient.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2025

Multiple surveys show that Americans under 30 self-identify as Christian at the same rate as the millennial generation before them, though still at far lower levels than older Americans.

From Salon • May 5, 2025

Israeli Arabs descend from Palestinians who became citizens of Israel when the state was established in 1948, many of whom continue to strongly self-identify as Palestinian.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2024