verb

look after and provide for oneself, without any help from others.

she left her 14-year-old daughter to fend for herself

take care of oneself,look after oneself,provide for oneself,shift for oneself,manage by oneself,get by alone,get by without help,cope alone,cope unaided,stand on one’s own two feet,hold one’s own,make it on one’s own,paddle one’s own canoe