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
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Chapman followed with an RBI single, and the crowd cheered as many fans jumped to their feet in obvious relief.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The voice on Lars’s tablet insisted that teaching was one of the most obvious tasks to delegate to humanoids.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Dahl’s revulsion at the violence committed in Israel’s name is at once comprehensible, in and of itself, and rooted in Dahl’s set of antisemitic beliefs.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 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 anxiety is understandable.—
Edward Timmons,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The public at large bought into those efforts with little skepticism in the understandable desire to have Latinos star in the American story.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Nowhere is this more evident than in Florida, where there are 281 local and state agencies with over 300 agreements, according to a Miami Herald analysis of ICE data.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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This shift is particularly evident in the popularity of T-Shirt Bras, which are designed to vanish under clothing while providing a smooth, rounded shape.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Then Evans made another 3, prompting Pitino to turn his back in apparent disbelief.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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The White House’s inability to grasp the agency of others — its apparent lack of a theory of mind for everyone outside its walls — gives Democrats, especially, a distinct advantage.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
28 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
-
On his first solo release in eight years, 100 gecs’ mutant-pop prankster turns his attention to relatively straightforward big-tent EDM—but not without a little noise-scene provocation.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
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Bottom line Gold bullion coins are one of the more straightforward ways to add physical gold to a portfolio, but the details matter.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In Catanzaro Lido, a beach town along the Ionian coast, meals tend to be simple and communal.—
Jenna Curcio,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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In her first interview since becoming head of content at Disney+ EMEA, Angela Jain has said the message to writers and producers is simple, the streamer is going to greenlight more originals from the region and will be backing that effort with extra funds for local fare.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-explanatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-explanatory. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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