self-determination

noun

ˌself-di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce self-determination (audio)
Definition of self-determinationnext
1
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions the United States officially recognizes 18 as the age at which someone is entitled to self-determination

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in autonomy
the state of being free from the control or power of another rebels fighting for the territory's self-determination

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 self-determination While wide hips were considered a problem area not so long ago, designers are now erecting a sort of fashion monument to them—as a symbol of sensuality, strength, and self-determination. — Kelly Niesen, Glamour, 24 July 2026 Produced as a Hong Kong-US collaboration, the film explores identity, family, cultural displacement, and the difficult choices faced by those navigating between tradition and self-determination. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 23 July 2026 The Constitution’s architects, despite notoriously excluding many Americans from the political community, wished those who were granted the right of self-determination to be able to do so on an equal basis. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026 Platform, curated by Jovanna Venegas, features large-scale sculptures and installations that examine technological forms emerging across the Caribbean, exploring ideas of reconstruction, resilience, and self-determination. — News Desk, Artforum, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-determination
  1. choice
  2. autonomy
  3. sovereignty
  4. independence
  5. freedom
Noun
  • During the Asian Cup earlier this year in Australia, many Iranian women’s players were faced with the tough choice to either defect or return to a warzone.
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The company mainly recommends this choice to enterprises, not consumers.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of choice
Noun
  • The mission-management and autonomy components communicated through OMS and UCI rather than through custom point-to-point interfaces.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Here's where autonomy stops being binary and starts being a loop.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of autonomy
Noun
  • The pace is being driven by vast government demand, data sovereignty legislation that is keeping caches in-country, and hyperscalers increasingly looking to lease data center space rather than build in new markets.
    — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In 2016, Brexiteers imagined that other European countries would follow their example and cheerily recover absolute sovereignty as liberated nation-states.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sovereignty
Noun
  • Some 13,000 people died in Kosovo's war, which saw ethnic Albanians launch a rebellion to gain independence from Serbia.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Part of its independence means that the mission does not participate in the Homeless Management Information System, a database maintained by LAHSA to track homeless people engaged with the system.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of independence
Noun
  • But the Cochin Jewish community's complex history includes both religious freedom and internal divisions over class and colorism.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Even veterans given considerable resources and artistic freedom for a live-action feature may find their specific sensibilities are just better suited to animation.
    — Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of freedom

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self-destructs
self-determination
self-determining
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Cite this Entry

“Self-determination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-determination. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on self-determination

Nglish: Translation of self-determination for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about self-determination

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