1
as in democracy
government in which the supreme power is held by the people and used by them directly or indirectly through representation
self-government implies faith in the wisdom and essential goodness of the people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
steely self-government was all that kept her from lashing out at the rude customer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in autonomy
the state of being free from the control or power of another
championed self-government for the nation's indigenous peoples
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-government
The federal government’s deployment of military personnel to this country’s cities, all apart from being the Founders’ worst nightmare, threatens a death knell to popular self-government.
—
Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Outrage fades, the unthinkable becomes routine, and the guardrails that protect self-government quietly disappear.
—Aron Solomon
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
At smaller scales, new places have made advances in self-government.
—Joe Mathews, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025
Trump has in the past mused about a broader federal takeover of the district, although that would require Congress to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973, which gives Washington its current measure of self-government.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-government
Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Outrage fades, the unthinkable becomes routine, and the guardrails that protect self-government quietly disappear.
—Aron Solomon
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
At smaller scales, new places have made advances in self-government.
—Joe Mathews, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025
Trump has in the past mused about a broader federal takeover of the district, although that would require Congress to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973, which gives Washington its current measure of self-government.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-government
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-government
Noun
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The protests were part of thousands of rallies held across the country, in cities large and small, to express concern about the future of the country and democracy.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
19 Oct. 2025
-
And that, in a democracy, people can stand up and voice their opinions.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The ship brings history and perhaps some English restraint to the world’s cruise capital.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
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D’Angelo understood the ways in which restraint can be infinitely more haunting—and more alluring—than aggression.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Operators input mission goals on the tablet, and the MATRIX autonomy software generates and executes a flight plan, using onboard sensors and algorithms to navigate safely and avoid obstacles.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
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The commentary and candor reflected in these conversations are an indication of the types of new narratives that can and will take center stage as female athletes begin to have more ownership and autonomy.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Essence,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, has denounced previous strikes as an act of aggression, vowing to defend Venezuelan sovereignty.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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Core questions—borders, sovereignty, refugees—are deferred.—
Mohammed R. Mhawish,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sitake’s steadiness helped BYU escape the choppy waters of FBS independence and transition into a Power 4 conference in 2023.—
Christopher Kamrani,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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But excellence and independence are all but impossible to consistently maintain without the steady backing of mentors or salaries, and when the incentives of the internet reward virality no matter how it’s achieved.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For many Black and Brown people in America, the outdoors was not a site of freedom but of exploitation and fear.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Without the requirement to protect majority-minority districts, Republicans would have far greater freedom to redraw congressional maps in ways that dilute the voting power of Black and other minority communities—areas that tend to favor Democrats.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-government.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-government. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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