as in obvious
easy to understand without explanation
a self-explanatory phrase The chapter titles of the book are self-explanatory.
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Recent Examples of self-explanatory
Still, even when the benefits are self-explanatory, cutting ties is easier said than done, as shown by this statistic.
—
Jenna Ryu, SELF, 9 Feb. 2026
Light switches, which have been self-explanatory since the dawn of electric lighting, apparently now come as an unlabeled multibutton panel that literally required a tutorial session from a technician.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
The product is fairly self-explanatory and easy to navigate.
—Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Train Your Team is self-explanatory, since human error is a major vulnerability, as seen in the First American Financial Corp Data Leak and others.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-explanatory
Jenna Ryu, SELF, 9 Feb. 2026
Light switches, which have been self-explanatory since the dawn of electric lighting, apparently now come as an unlabeled multibutton panel that literally required a tutorial session from a technician.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
The product is fairly self-explanatory and easy to navigate.
—Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Train Your Team is self-explanatory, since human error is a major vulnerability, as seen in the First American Financial Corp Data Leak and others.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-explanatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-explanatory
Adjective
-
Feel free to cut off really obvious dead portions, then wait a month or two and look for possibly more decline.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Some people would argue that the basic apparatus of cinema — a camera that then flattens images into two dimensions to be projected on a screen — hasn’t changed much since the Lumière brothers, despite obvious technological advancements.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of the original choices had rules too culturally specific to be immediately comprehensible to viewers outside Korea.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Davis is wry and quietly defiant of stereotype, her Elaine’s composure hard-won and her sacrifice of certain kinds of sympathy fully comprehensible.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s a refreshingly honest reason for calling it quits, and an understandable one.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The Cowboys’ previous pursuit of tall, long corners has been understandable.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In practice, that misalignment is most evident at the factory level.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Mar. 2026
-
One place this shift is particularly evident is in theatrical gender play—specifically, in the significant number of women who played men’s roles on the nineteenth-century stage.—
Betsy Golden Kellem,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Three weeks into the conflict, the toll is becoming apparent.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The result is effortlessly chic, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Lobby Bar—an understated name for such a striking space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Words are better at suggesting ambiguity than plain numbers or emojis.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Experts break down the good, the concerning, and just plain confusing aspects of these controversial recommendations with athletes in mind.—
Outside,
Outside,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Our commitment is straightforward.—
Ben Churchill,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Using one of these devices is straightforward.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The rooms Hotel Thaynes has 128 guest rooms, including six king suites, each designed for simple mountain stays with subtle pops of colors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Such a vote — which is bound to fail but would put senators on the record — differs from using a simple majority to change the Senate rules, a vote a senator could force after an unsuccessful vote to break a filibuster.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-explanatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-explanatory. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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