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
  • Behind the scenes, Chicago historian and media personality Studs Terkel played an integral role, acting as a guide for Mitchell.
    — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Behind the scenes, Muse uses a collection of digital notes and instructions to guide its personality, actions and memory, all of which can be reviewed, edited and deleted.
    — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 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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