self-control
C1Formal to neutral. Common in both spoken and written English.
Definition
Meaning
The ability to control one's own emotions, desires, or actions, especially in difficult situations.
Restraint exercised over one's impulses, emotions, or desires; willpower. Often involves foregoing immediate gratification for a longer-term goal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically a non-count noun ('He showed great self-control'). Rarely pluralized. Often used with adjectives like 'great', 'incredible', 'iron', or verbs like 'exercise', 'show', 'lack', 'lose'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The hyphenated form is standard in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally positive in both varieties, associated with maturity, discipline, and emotional intelligence.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English corpora, but common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to have the self-control to + infinitive (He had the self-control to remain silent)self-control in + noun/-ing form (self-control in spending)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Keep a tight rein on yourself (related concept)”
- “Bite your tongue (related concept)”
- “Hold your horses (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often used in discussions of leadership, negotiation, and emotional intelligence ('Successful negotiators exercise self-control').
Academic
Common in psychology, behavioural economics, and philosophy texts ('The study measured children's self-control and later life outcomes').
Everyday
Used when discussing diet, spending, anger management, or resisting temptation ('I need more self-control around chocolate').
Technical
In psychology, a key concept in studies of delayed gratification and executive function.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He had to self-control his urge to interrupt.
- She is learning to self-control her reactions.
American English
- You need to self-control your spending.
- He struggled to self-control his temper.
adverb
British English
- He acted self-controllingly in the face of provocation.
- She replied self-controllingly.
American English
- He responded self-controllingly to the criticism.
- She very self-controllingly declined the offer.
adjective
British English
- He gave a self-control response.
- They attended a self-control workshop.
American English
- She has excellent self-control skills.
- It was a moment requiring self-control tactics.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It takes self-control to not eat all the sweets.
- Children learn self-control.
- He showed great self-control and didn't get angry.
- I need more self-control when I go shopping.
- Exercising self-control in negotiations can lead to better long-term outcomes.
- Despite the intense pressure, her self-control never wavered.
- The psychological study demonstrated a strong correlation between childhood self-control and adult socioeconomic success.
- His impeccable self-control in the face of such blatant provocation was nothing short of masterful.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SELF-CONTROL' as being the CONTROL of your SELF. Imagine a remote control with your face on it.
Conceptual Metaphor
SELF-CONTROL IS A FORCE/RESTRAINT (exercise control, lose control), SELF-CONTROL IS A MUSCLE (it can be strengthened, it can tire).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translations like 'самоконтроль' in every context; it can sound overly technical or clinical in Russian for everyday situations where 'сдержанность' or 'выдержка' might be more natural.
- Do not confuse with 'self-check' or 'self-monitoring'.
Common Mistakes
- *He has a self-control. (Use: He has self-control.)
- Spelling error: *selfcontrol (must be hyphenated: self-control).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical collocation with 'self-control'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly hyphenated: self-control.
Informally, 'to self-control' is occasionally used, but it is non-standard. Preferred phrasing is 'to exercise self-control' or 'to control oneself'.
They are very close synonyms. 'Self-discipline' often implies a structured, habitual practice towards a goal (like studying), while 'self-control' can refer to a single instance of resisting an impulse (like not eating a cake).
No, 'self-control' is generally a non-count (uncountable) noun. Use 'self-control' without an article (e.g., 'He has self-control') or with a quantifier (e.g., 'a lot of self-control').
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