self-evident

adjective

ˌself-ˈe-və-dənt How to pronounce self-evident (audio)
Definition of self-evidentnext
as in obvious
not needing proof in order to be accepted the self-evident truth that all people have the right of self-determination

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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-evident These were self-evident rules, and the women followed them piously. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 June 2026 From the European cultural point of view there was, here in the Mediterranean, a pragmatic culture which regarded the divine presence as self-evident. — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 28 June 2026 The parts of the declaration worth knowing about are the soaring sentences in the opening paragraphs about self-evident truths, pursuing happiness and all men being created equal. — Robert Parkinson, The Conversation, 24 June 2026 In 2026, not all truths appear to be self-evident. — Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-evident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-evident
  1. obvious
  2. axiomatic
  3. evident
  4. apparent
  5. unmistakable
Adjective
  • His first season with Bayern Munich, after leaving Liverpool in summer 2023, brought decent numbers but obvious tactical issues, leading to a sale to Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia for nearly the same fee a year later.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Film noir is the most obvious one, and much of the episode takes both its visual cues and its tone from classic noir.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of obvious
Adjective
  • Statements tend to be axiomatic rather than descriptive of particular individuals.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
  • Just a few years after the arrival of ZF, Kurt Gödel showed that no axiomatic system capable of basic arithmetic can be used to prove its own consistency.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of axiomatic
Adjective
  • At a bond hearing earlier this year, Fernandez Saldana’s attorney said there was no proof his client’s guilt was evident, CNN affiliate Action News Jax reported.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Their issues putting together effective at-bats were evident in the final two games against the Brewers, totaling three runs on 11 hits and three walks.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of evident
Adjective
  • The note briefly displayed in court Thursday offered jurors in Clancy’s triple-murder trial perhaps their best glimpse yet at the Massachusetts mother’s apparent perspective on her own struggle with mental health leading up to the killings.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As students returned to campuses earlier this week to begin a new school year, the district’s worst-case scenario has not come to pass, although its apparent financial reprieve remains fragile.
    — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of apparent
Adjective
  • Her strength, warmth, generosity, and unmistakable personality left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know her.
    — Harry Harris, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In the mid-1970s, Slash’s mother, the costume designer Ola Hudson, worked on the American production of The Rocky Horror Show, whose Frank-N-Furter is the unmistakable touchstone of Bourzgui’s David, down to the depraved purr.
    — Sarah Grant, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of unmistakable

Browse Nearby Words

self-evidence
self-evident
self-evidently
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Cite this Entry

“Self-evident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-evident. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on self-evident

Nglish: Translation of self-evident for Spanish Speakers

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