self-education

noun

self-ed·​u·​ca·​tion ˌself-ˌe-jə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce self-education (audio)
plural self-educations
: the act or process of educating oneself by one's own efforts especially through reading and informal study
… her painstaking self-education in all matters pertaining to New York …—James Traub
also : the skills or knowledge attained through self-education
[Mark] Coen purchased the old church for its space, moved in and set up shop while endeavoring to achieve a self-education in carpentry. —Carrie Manner

Examples of self-education 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.
The wish to see the worst that life can offer can be a form of self-education, or even preparation, like stockpiling a survival kit. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025 So, there is a clear need to create re-skilling programs that would inspire employees to re-evaluate their approach to self-education. — Hilary Tetenbaum, The Enquirer, 28 Nov. 2024 Commit to lifelong learning through courses, conferences and self-education. Find joy in the grind by aligning work with passion and community. — Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025 Carter’s career is colored with devoted self-education and ingenuity. — Essence, 4 Mar. 2025 The self-education helped Cuban launch his first startup, a software company called MicroSolutions, about a year later. — Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025 Sometime in the mid-sixties, Sam brought home a coffee-table book about astrology, and Linda became consumed by it, launching into a self-education that approached mania. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 Successful allyship involves continuous self-education and a willingness to acknowledge your own biases and weaknesses. — Julie Kratz, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-education was in 1782

Rhymes for self-education

See All Rhymes for self-education

Browse Nearby Words

self-educating
self-education
self-effacement
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-education.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-education. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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