selfhood

noun

self·​hood ˈself-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce selfhood (audio)
1
2
: the quality or state of being selfish

Examples of selfhood in a Sentence

he spent a year in a monastery determining the core of his selfhood
Recent Examples on the Web Rife with self-mockery, his work dares to register the brilliant, kaleidoscopic puzzle of selfhood. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 This collection uses the beauty pageant dynamic and social media vernacular to deliver satirical commentary on the expression of selfhood for artists, probing how the public, online presentation of the self results in its distortion. Ana María Caballero, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The album is a statement of selfhood summed up by its cover, which pictures McRae in the classically risqué pop star drag of a black tank top and briefs, but paired with a touch of knowing humor in the form of knee-high ice hockey goalie pads. Liam Hess, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2023 Freiman finds less to salvage in Rand’s life or work, but the novel is rightly skeptical of the wellness industry’s promises to subdue the demands of selfhood. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2023 And yet another part of your notion of selfhood is your ability to situate yourself spatially, creating the sense that your consciousness is located inside your body. Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 12 Oct. 2023 Each of their characters comes across as an automaton in service of the film’s larger themes of — ironically — selfhood and individuality. Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2023 The Son is interested in what Nicholas’s father misses, overlooks and denies — but the movie risks doing the same, by giving Nicholas such a threadbare selfhood in the first place. K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2023 With five leading Kens in front and a sweeping chorus of dancers shuttling behind and around them, the choreography is a passionate expression of selfhood, a tonic that recalls the vitality and athletic grace of Gene Kelly. Gia Kourlas, New York Times, 28 July 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of selfhood was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near selfhood

Cite this Entry

“Selfhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfhood. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

selfhood

noun
self·​hood ˈself-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce selfhood (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on selfhood

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!