1
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions
the United States officially recognizes 18 as the age at which someone is entitled to self-determination
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in autonomy
the state of being free from the control or power of another
rebels fighting for the territory's self-determination
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-determination
The film’s real message, however, is deeply anti-capitalist, as Mickey 17 (the 17th clone) is fighting for his humanity and encouraging others to organize for their self-determination.
—
Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
Celebrate the second day of Kwanzaa with a celebration of Kujichagulia (self-determination), featuring African drumming and a dance performance, griot storytelling, a Kwanzaa candle-lighting ceremony and a community dinner.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
But workplaces don’t always give employees, regardless of their disability status, the flexibility and self-determination necessary to enact their strategies.
—Emily Rosado-Solomon, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
Respect for the rule of law and protecting every Mississippian’s right to individual liberty and self-determination are the bedrock principles upon which our Constitutional Republic and state were founded.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
Celebrate the second day of Kwanzaa with a celebration of Kujichagulia (self-determination), featuring African drumming and a dance performance, griot storytelling, a Kwanzaa candle-lighting ceremony and a community dinner.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
But workplaces don’t always give employees, regardless of their disability status, the flexibility and self-determination necessary to enact their strategies.
—Emily Rosado-Solomon, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
Respect for the rule of law and protecting every Mississippian’s right to individual liberty and self-determination are the bedrock principles upon which our Constitutional Republic and state were founded.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-determination
Noun
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The best heroes are beloved because their choices — admirable, messy, or otherwise — are hard ones made in service of something greater.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
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The two were impeccably dressed as Gomez and Morticia Addams, which is a canonically Gay couple costume choice — Lakshmi, as Morticia, was holding scissors in one of the posts, for crying out loud.—
James Factora,
Them.,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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It is built for continuous operation, with a 4-hour battery and hot-swappable autonomy.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
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In the aftermath, Venezuelan society became further split between the wealthy, who wanted to work with the US, and the working class, who sought autonomy from the US.—
James Trapani,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The new agreement says that Ukraine’s sovereignty and its ability to defend itself are non-negotiable elements of any peace deal and warned that its self-defense is essential to its own security and wider Euro-Atlantic stability.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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Fundamentally, sending in our own military to make the arrest on foreign soil without the consent of the other country would still violate international law and the sovereignty of Venezuela.—
Elie Mystal,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As this brief survey suggests, the patriots’ success in drawing foreign partners into the war was essential to achieving American independence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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The forest for the trees Nestled between China, India and Thailand, Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948 but came under military dictatorship in 1962.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The Brazilian feature follows a 75-year-old woman whose journey through the Amazon becomes a manifesto on freedom and dignity.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
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My mother has been denied access to medical care, the right to speak, and every basic human freedom.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-determination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-determination. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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