How to Use self-reliant in a Sentence

self-reliant

adjective
  • Who may have become self-reliant in a way her siblings had not.
    — Azazel Jacobs, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Neeleman wants to inspire people to know where their food comes from and to be self-reliant.
    — Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2024
  • But the biggest takeaway may be how much more self-reliant Grogu seems by the end of the movie.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 May 2026
  • It's been very important to me to be strong and self-reliant, and to constantly be growing.
    — Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025
  • It's been very important to me to be strong and self-reliant, and to constantly be growing.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
  • And yet Birkin was far from the self-reliant gamine embodied by Clara Bow.
    — Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Her father taught her that cash was king and a woman should always be financially self-reliant.
    — Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024
  • For the first three years, its ambition was to aid the formerly enslaved to become self-reliant.
    — Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 14 Mar. 2023
  • America gave me the confidence of being self-reliant, to care for oneself.
    — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Saturn is a dominant planet that likes to take charge and Aries is the zodiac sign that is self-reliant.
    — Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 21 May 2025
  • Likewise, she must be nurtured by us to be more independent, self-reliant and resilient than others her age.
    — Keven Undergaro, People.com, 25 Feb. 2025
  • This self-reliant rebel ideology is what makes skate culture iconic and connects the sport with punk music.
    — Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The very Americans most likely to think of themselves as bold and self-reliant are the ones who seem most terrified.
    — Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Feb. 2023
  • Men are also taught to be self-reliant and not ask for help, Tran added, which can lead to anger, stress, anxiety, and depression.
    — Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2023
  • Washington’s friends would be more secure and more self-reliant, and its foes would once again fear American power.
    — Robert C. O’Brien, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2024
  • There is, beneath everything, an impetus to become more self-reliant.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024
  • Once roots push beyond the original planting hole and into surrounding soil, the plant becomes far more self-reliant.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2026
  • Some of these newly free-standing people never look back and become self-reliant globe-trotting laundry-slayers.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 13 June 2024
  • Instead, Battilana emphasizes that learning your way around the kitchen from a young age can help a person feel more self-reliant.
    — Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The government’s decision to expedite the launch comes as the country seeks to be more self-reliant in moving exports via air.
    — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Beijing's Choice China's goal is to be not only self-reliant, but also relied upon by the world.
    — John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
  • Accustomed to her dad forgetting her pickup time, happily self-reliant Hana has walked home.
    — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2023
  • Private river frontage, creeks, springs, and senior water rights make the ranch entirely self-reliant—no outside feed required.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Bailey wants the city to become more self-reliant, installing its own solar panels and batteries that reserve power overnight.
    — WIRED, 27 Feb. 2023
  • These schools teach children language, math and business skills—empowering them to become self-reliant and successful.
    — Kirk Feller, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2023
  • Meanwhile, his ex-wife—played by Field—becomes increasingly self-reliant, heightening the strain between them.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
  • My mother always stressed the importance of being self-reliant, especially for women.
    — Sonel Cutler, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Feb. 2023
  • Anyone who visits should be prepared to be fully self-reliant, with extra food, water, and any necessary medications.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Strong sense of self Great leaders are self-reliant, selfless, have a realistic view of the present and a comfortable relationship with it.
    — Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Countries are spending enormous sums to become self-reliant—in energy, in defense, in technology.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 2 June 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-reliant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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