as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another
far beyond the reach of civil or military authorities, the settlers on the frontier were essentially self-governed
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Recent Examples of self-governed
Being self-governed is one of the essential human needs, and those who have a firm sense of their self-concept are able to manage their emotions well and make wiser choices.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 Mar. 2026
As a management company, RealManage supports the association’s right to be self-governed.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949, after Nationalist forces fled to the island following their defeat by Chinese Communist powers.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 29 Dec. 2025
Overcrowded, under-resourced, and often effectively self-governed, these facilities have long served as incubators where armed groups recruit, reorganize, and expand their influence.
—Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 10 Dec. 2025
Greenland, which became self-governed in 2009, was colonized by Denmark some 300 years ago and still controls Greenland’s foreign and defense policies.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Local nonprofit Safe Ground Sacramento was responsible for operating the camp, which was self-governed by residents.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024
Council membership is entirely self-governed, vendor free, and prioritizes cross-industry members to ensure nuanced perspectives.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 Mar. 2026
As a management company, RealManage supports the association’s right to be self-governed.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949, after Nationalist forces fled to the island following their defeat by Chinese Communist powers.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 29 Dec. 2025
Overcrowded, under-resourced, and often effectively self-governed, these facilities have long served as incubators where armed groups recruit, reorganize, and expand their influence.
—Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 10 Dec. 2025
Greenland, which became self-governed in 2009, was colonized by Denmark some 300 years ago and still controls Greenland’s foreign and defense policies.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Local nonprofit Safe Ground Sacramento was responsible for operating the camp, which was self-governed by residents.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024
Council membership is entirely self-governed, vendor free, and prioritizes cross-industry members to ensure nuanced perspectives.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-governed
Adjective
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Panahi’s lawyer Mostafa Nili announced the decision by the court to reject the director’s appeal during a press briefing in Tehran on Sunday, according to independent film journalist Mansour Jahani and other sources.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
7 June 2026
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Over his career, he was described as a blunt, independent, outspoken politician who was a maverick, boat-rocker, loose cannon, skilled partisan, and, above all, political survivor.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Adjective
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Snow, slush and messy weather can challenge autonomous vehicles in ways sunny streets cannot.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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Designed for operation in complex real-world environments, Dyno integrates a sophisticated AI system with a highly responsive sensor suite that enables autonomous navigation, situational awareness, and human-robot interaction.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Gulf SWFs ramp up spending despite Iran war Against the backdrop of the Iran war, Gulf sovereign wealth funds have stepped up dealmaking over the last few months–with the five biggest funds collectively investing nearly $26 billion at a higher deployment pace than over the previous five years.—
Alyson Shontell,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
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Today, the fund is the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, holding and profiting from more than $2 trillion in stocks, bonds, infrastructure and real estate.—
Ola Morris Innset,
The Dial,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-governed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-governed. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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