self-development

noun

self-de·​vel·​op·​ment ˌself-di-ˈve-ləp-mənt How to pronounce self-development (audio)
-dē-
plural self-developments
: development of one's own capabilities or possibilities
Writing has been for a long time my major tool for self-instruction and self-development.Toni Cade Bambara
a self-development course/program

Examples of self-development 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.
Making Mindset Accessible to Everyone While some self-development programs can cost thousands of dollars, The US WORK Force™ is designed to be affordable and accessible. William Mullane, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025 Consistently share your goals and progress with your employees to model the importance of continual self-development. Barry Marshall, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 This is the product of a rigorous education that begins in the elementary school years, building on itself to the point of being an ongoing, lifelong commitment to self-development. Eli Amdur, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 There is no overcoming the situation; rather, the CEO’s mindset and self-development require attention to prevent excessive overwhelm and unintended behaviors from manifesting. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 The reason is that there is always room for self-development, and that often includes learning to set limits with people and things that threaten your well-being. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 27 Jan. 2025 Personal: Categories include health, family, social life and self-development. Andrey Fadeev, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 Plus, fantasy is an important part of our self-development. Katie McDonough, Curbed, 7 Jan. 2025 Their child-free lifestyle fuels frequent travel and personal growth, with 88% directing their income toward enriching experiences and self-development, while 76% credit their child-free status for enabling these pursuits. Brooke Seipel, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-development was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Self-development.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-development. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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