self-governing
adjective
self-gov·ern·ing
ˌself-ˈgə-vər-niŋ 
: having control or rule over oneself
specifically
: having self-government : autonomous
Synonyms of self-governing
Examples of self-governing in a Sentence
she left home and became entirely self-governing and financially independent at the age of 18
a self-governing nation that could be a role model for other countries in the region
Recent Examples on the Web
The final package fell far short of what President Lai Ching-te insisted was necessary to prepare the self-governing island for a potential Chinese attack.
—
Scott Tong, NPR, 11 June 2026
China claims the self-governing island as its territory and sanctioned four New Zealand lawmakers on Thursday to protest their recent visit.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Taiwan’s Beijing-friendly opposition leader headed to the US for meetings with lawmakers at a time when Washington’s commitment to the self-governing island has been cast in doubt.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 1 June 2026
China claims the democratic self-governing island as its own, and Xi has not ruled out using force to take it.
—David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
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
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
Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory, is under growing pressure from China, which has not ruled out using force to seize control.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2023
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Scott Tong, NPR, 11 June 2026
China claims the self-governing island as its territory and sanctioned four New Zealand lawmakers on Thursday to protest their recent visit.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Taiwan’s Beijing-friendly opposition leader headed to the US for meetings with lawmakers at a time when Washington’s commitment to the self-governing island has been cast in doubt.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 1 June 2026
China claims the democratic self-governing island as its own, and Xi has not ruled out using force to take it.
—David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
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
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
Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory, is under growing pressure from China, which has not ruled out using force to seize control.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Self-governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-governing. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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