self-determination
noun
self-de·ter·mi·na·tion
ˌself-di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən 
1
: free choice of one's own acts or states without external compulsion
2
: determination by the people of a territorial unit of their own future political status
Examples of self-determination in a Sentence
the United States officially recognizes 18 as the age at which someone is entitled to self-determination
rebels fighting for the territory's self-determination
Recent Examples on the Web
By the mid-nineteen-sixties, Africa had been transformed from a patchwork of colonies to one of mostly independent countries, each devoted, at least in theory, to self-determination.
—
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
The book blends personal anecdotes with academic theories like attachment, interdependence and self-determination.
—Hope Reese, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
The plan also mentions a long-term horizon for self-determination and the establishment of a Palestinian state – a point not raised in previous proposals, which mainly focused on ending the war in Gaza but neglected to include a longer-term pathway to statehood.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
The plan promises a pathway for Palestinian self-determination and humanitarian aid, provided both Israel and Hamas agree to all terms.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
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Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
The book blends personal anecdotes with academic theories like attachment, interdependence and self-determination.
—Hope Reese, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
The plan also mentions a long-term horizon for self-determination and the establishment of a Palestinian state – a point not raised in previous proposals, which mainly focused on ending the war in Gaza but neglected to include a longer-term pathway to statehood.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
The plan promises a pathway for Palestinian self-determination and humanitarian aid, provided both Israel and Hamas agree to all terms.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Cite this Entry
“Self-determination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-determination. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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