self-governing

adjective

ˌself-ˈgə-vər-niŋ How to pronounce self-governing (audio)
Definition of self-governingnext
1
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another she left home and became entirely self-governing and financially independent at the age of 18

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2
as in democratic
of, relating to, or favoring political democracy a self-governing nation that could be a role model for other countries in the region

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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-governing These comments came after recent talks between Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about American support for the self-governing island. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026 When those three things come together, patient safety stops being a values statement and becomes a self-governing system. — Joe Kiani, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026 The collection of 18 islands between Scotland and Iceland is a self-governing region of Denmark, and the 54,000 people who live there have their own language, parliament, and culture distinct from the Danes. — Callie Radke Stevens, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2025 Administration officials heralded the law as liberation from the constant vulnerability of relying on chip-makers in Taiwan, a self-governing island only 100 miles off the Chinese coast that is claimed by Beijing. — Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for self-governing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-governing
  1. independent
  2. democratic
  3. autonomous
  4. sovereign
Adjective
  • The ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, is staffed by medical professionals who maintain detailed records viewed as generally reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • The election in the 25th Congressional District, which runs along the Atlantic coast from Delray Beach to Miami Beach, is seen by all major independent congressional election analysts as a toss-up that could go either way.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • Panelists warned about a future where Christian nationalists subvert democratic systems in order to achieve a larger goal of garnering special power and privilege for Christians.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • The last tumultuous decade of grievance and attacks on our democratic norms should have taught us to adopt the wisdom of Maya Angelou.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Definition of democratic
Adjective
  • Since the brand expanded and opened operations in the city this year, autonomous all-electric Waymos have taken over Miami’s streets.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • Questions over whether autonomous vehicles and weapons are handy supplemental tools or disruptive innovations are in keeping with a long-running debate over what constitutes a revolution in military affairs.
    — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026
Definition of autonomous
Adjective
  • Israel had a sovereign, moral right to defend itself and dismantle the Hamas military, a terrorist organization that deliberately conducted its attacks from among Gaza’s citizenry in a way to maximize innocent civilian casualties.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Mistral’s co-founder told The Economist that Europe needs to build a sovereign AI ecosystem, as Washington increasingly limits overseas access to US cutting-edge models.
    — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of sovereign

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Cite this Entry

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

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