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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of self-determination
Ukraine has until now insisted on its right to self-determination on its security partnerships, pushing for eventual ascension into NATO, while Russia has pointed to Ukraine’s potential membership in the security alliance as justification for its war.
—
Colin Meyn, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
They were created not only for survival but also for self-determination, cultural preservation, and freedom from white economic control.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
Protecting Ukrainians’ self-determination and dissuading what is sure to be additional international Russian aggression in the event that Putin feels like his gambit ultimately worked should be bedrock principles in these talks, even if Zelenskyy won’t be in attendance.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2025
Rutte also said Russia must acknowledge Ukraine's right to self-determination.
—Nicholas Kerr, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Colin Meyn, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
They were created not only for survival but also for self-determination, cultural preservation, and freedom from white economic control.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
Protecting Ukrainians’ self-determination and dissuading what is sure to be additional international Russian aggression in the event that Putin feels like his gambit ultimately worked should be bedrock principles in these talks, even if Zelenskyy won’t be in attendance.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2025
Rutte also said Russia must acknowledge Ukraine's right to self-determination.
—Nicholas Kerr, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-determination
Noun
-
Each individual has to make the best choice for themselves and their families, and uprooting their lives to move across the country is situation that anyone would avoid if possible.—
Mike Hirschberg,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Read the full Pisces Daily Horoscope Aries (March 21 - April 19) Are your daily choices supporting your big vision—or slowly derailing it?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Their speed and autonomy create new efficiencies but also lead to risks that legacy governance models often can’t manage.—
Ganesh Kirti,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
These insights could help leaders, educators, and clinicians design decision-making processes that respect our instinct for autonomy while still inviting valuable outside perspectives.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The announcement comes as rumors swirl about the kingdom making a direct investment of $40 billion in OpenAI, and the unveiling of a new regulatory framework designed to encourage foreign technology investment while establishing Saudi sovereignty over its data.—
Jon Medved,
semafor.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Enterprises need to orchestrate these tools across legacy systems while ensuring regulatory compliance, managing data sovereignty, and delivering measurable ROI.—
Steve McDowell,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
American Resources Corporation has transformed the shuttered Thompson Electronics plant into a high-tech manufacturing hub tackling one of the most urgent challenges facing the United States today: rare earth independence.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
-
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There are still rules, even within the ultimate freedom.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
-
While many CIOs still want a single source, users demand the freedom to pick and choose the best services from different vendors to experiment and drive GenAI initiatives forward.—
Thomas Robinson,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-determination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-determination. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share