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 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 Our true nature, or selfhood, is created by Spirit and is wholly loved, complete, and sound. — Alistair Budd, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for selfhood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selfhood
Noun
  • Quiet luxury, by invitation Fortune previously reported affluent Gen Z and millennials were prioritizing experiences, wellness, and identity over traditional luxury possessions.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Much of Bread & Butter was made with reverence for the path Droog’s taken, from his early days of mistaken identity to rhyming with Madlib on The Tonight Show.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Even when Monét isn’t being quite as playful as on past releases, her personality sparkles brighter than her esteemed guests.
    — Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The hotel’s personality is spelled out by the stores in the mall it’s connected to—all upscale, all chic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Selfhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selfhood. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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