Definition of selfhoodnext
as in identity
the set of qualities that make a person different from other people he spent a year in a monastery determining the core of his selfhood

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of selfhood When motherhood is no longer defined as a duty, new possibilities for female selfhood emerge. — Rafaela Bassili, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026 The book’s post-apocalyptic setting ennobles its meditations on selfhood and finitude; the narrator’s search for perpetuity is lent an unshakable gravity by her circumstances. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 This is, at times, a wrenching novel, strewn with broken bodies, but its atrocities never overwhelm its faith in creaturely communion, and in grief and longing that clarify, rather than obscure, one’s desires and selfhood. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Neptune can represent imagination, spirituality, idealism and illusion, while Aries is concerned with selfhood, courage and initiation. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for selfhood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selfhood
Noun
  • No further information, including the identity of the neighbor, was available as the case was ongoing, according to Klopping.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • To be sure, Devin Kay of Douglas Elliman told Fox Business recognizable names tend to get attached to blockbuster deals when a buyer’s identity is hidden.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • This hyper-femme approach to design is both charming and eclectic—perfect for the marrier who wants to showcase all sides of their style and personality on their special day.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The president and vice president will appear in the Oval Office with conservative YouTube personality Nick Shirley, whose video series from Minnesota late last year led to fraud investigations of day care centers there that receive federal money.
    — Natalie Allison, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Selfhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selfhood. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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