self-explanatory

adjective

self-ex·​plan·​a·​to·​ry ˌself-ik-ˈspla-nə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce self-explanatory (audio)
Synonyms of self-explanatorynext
: explaining itself : capable of being understood without explanation

Examples of self-explanatory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Still, even when the benefits are self-explanatory, cutting ties is easier said than done, as shown by this statistic. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 9 Feb. 2026 Light switches, which have been self-explanatory since the dawn of electric lighting, apparently now come as an unlabeled multibutton panel that literally required a tutorial session from a technician. Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026 The product is fairly self-explanatory and easy to navigate. Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026 Train Your Team is self-explanatory, since human error is a major vulnerability, as seen in the First American Financial Corp Data Leak and others. Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-explanatory

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-explanatory was in 1737

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Cite this Entry

“Self-explanatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-explanatory. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

self-explanatory

adjective
self-ex·​plan·​a·​to·​ry
ˌsel-fik-ˈsplan-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
: understandable without explanation

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