fended for oneself
Survived without help
Fended for oneself means managed without help from others, took care of one's own needs independently.
The phrase implies self-reliance, often in circumstances where support might normally be expected: With both parents working, the kids fended for themselves after school.
It can suggest resourcefulness or, sometimes, neglect.
- inventivenessCapacity for original creation
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- subsistenceMinimal means of living
- hand to mouthBarely meeting basic needs
- survivalismEmergency readiness lifestyle
endurance · quick-thinking · street smarts · foraging · scavenging · bare bones · creativity · coping skills · perseverance · trial by fire · craftiness · scrappiness · improvisation · rationing · making do · flexibility · bootstrapping · grit