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
Greenland voted in favor of self-government in 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in 2009.
—
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Those who charge that mail ballots are not secure undermine confidence in elections, without proof, and discourage participation, erode trust, and weaken the very foundations of self-government.
—Coalition, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
Legislation in 2009 that extended self-government to Greenland also recognized a right to independence under international law, an option favored by a majority of Greenlanders.
—Stefanie Dazio, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
While Nuuk exercises extensive self-government over the vast, mostly frozen island, Denmark controls its foreign and defense policy.
—Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-government
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Those who charge that mail ballots are not secure undermine confidence in elections, without proof, and discourage participation, erode trust, and weaken the very foundations of self-government.
—Coalition, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
Legislation in 2009 that extended self-government to Greenland also recognized a right to independence under international law, an option favored by a majority of Greenlanders.
—Stefanie Dazio, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
While Nuuk exercises extensive self-government over the vast, mostly frozen island, Denmark controls its foreign and defense policy.
—Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-government
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-government
Noun
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Months later, Castro sat down with Meet The Press and was pressed on what moral authority Cuba had to speak about democracy as his government backed revolutionary movements across the region.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Our democracy should be expanding access to the ballot, not constructing new bureaucratic barriers.—
Delmarie Alicea,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The city isn’t well-positioned to raise the money to address this fact in a sensible way, given limits on its taxing authority and current budgetary restraints.—
Kevin Cole,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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The prosecutor argued that Officer Noonan showed restraint that day, only shooting when Fitzsimmons performed the tap-rack and pointed the gun.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The prospect of autonomy remains a distant and fading dream.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Scale required sacrifice of autonomy.—
Kuo Zhang,
Fortune,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tehran rejected the list and presented a five-point proposal that included reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the waterway.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Iran rejected the offer and presented its own five-point proposal that included reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the waterway.—
Farnoush Amiri,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When choosing where to stay, hostels and guesthouses with communal spaces are ideal for solo travelers who want a mix of independence and social connection.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
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Chavez and Dolores Huerta are as familiar to me as leaders of my own country who fought for independence from British colonial rule.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As gangs continue to expand and consolidate territorial control, journalists remain in growing danger, according to the commission and other press freedom groups.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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That sense of freedom—of the gaze, of emotion, and of expression—is part of what made Farrokhzad the Iranian New Wave’s confrontational exemplar.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This visit was very important signal for our partners that Kyiv, much more safety right now, and also very important signal that Great Britain stay together with Ukraine, support Ukraine -- support our country in the fight for our freedom, for our independency.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2022
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Yet the careful reader will appreciate the significance of the Puritan Cromwell’s independency.—
Barton Swaim,
WSJ,
27 Dec. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Self-government.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-government. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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