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

Synonyms of self-determination

• choice
• autonomy

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

The security of Jewish self-determination is interlinked and intertwined with achieving Palestinian self-determination. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026

The five territories are among 17 regions across the world the United Nations says should be granted self-determination or independence. —Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026

But the broader issue is self-determination. —Tiffany Caban, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026

There needs to be self-determination and there needs to be a pluralistic government that includes a lot of different kinds of Iranians. —ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for self-determination

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization

Kids Definition

self-determination

noun

self-de·​ter·​mi·​na·​tion

ˌself-di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən

1

: free choice of one's own acts without outside pressure

2

: the deciding by the people of a place of the form of government they will have