self-governing

adjective

ˌself-ˈgə-vər-niŋ How to pronounce self-governing (audio)
Definition of self-governingnext
1
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another she left home and became entirely self-governing and financially independent at the age of 18

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in democratic
of, relating to, or favoring political democracy a self-governing nation that could be a role model for other countries in the region

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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 self-governing These comments came after recent talks between Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about American support for the self-governing island. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026 When those three things come together, patient safety stops being a values statement and becomes a self-governing system. — Joe Kiani, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026 The collection of 18 islands between Scotland and Iceland is a self-governing region of Denmark, and the 54,000 people who live there have their own language, parliament, and culture distinct from the Danes. — Callie Radke Stevens, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2025 Administration officials heralded the law as liberation from the constant vulnerability of relying on chip-makers in Taiwan, a self-governing island only 100 miles off the Chinese coast that is claimed by Beijing. — Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for self-governing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-governing
  1. independent
  2. democratic
  3. autonomous
  4. sovereign
Adjective
  • OpenAI backs a national AI safety standard, with independent audits and incident reporting for frontier models.
    — Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Some depend on Iran more than others, Ahmadi said, adding that currently Yemen’s Houthi rebels are likely the most independent.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • This straightforward policy solution would bring more people into the democratic project.
    — Susan Ostermann, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • But as left-leaning Democrats and democratic socialists like New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is Muslim, score wins in local and national races, Republicans have repeatedly decried the party's progressive wing as communists devoid of religion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of democratic
Adjective
  • Recent incidents expose critical security risks with autonomous AI agents, which act unsupervised using credentials and tools.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The system also avoided hazardous conditions while controlling the spacecraft’s orientation, showing how autonomous software could reduce dependence on ground commands during military and scientific missions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of autonomous
Adjective
  • Establishing a sovereign wealth fund to capture wealth created by AI to benefit all Americans could be a start.
    — Patrick J. Schena, Fortune, 31 July 2026
  • Although sovereign wealth funds serve a wide range of purposes, their most basic function, broadly defined, is to hold and invest government savings to support the current and future needs of citizens.
    — Patrick J. Schena, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Definition of sovereign

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self-government
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Cite this Entry

“Self-governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-governing. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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