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
  • Authorities have opened roughly 10 criminal cases against independent journalists and popular bloggers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • One of the loudest voices in the cattle world agitating against the border reopening is Bill Bullard, the CEO of R-CALF, a national association of independent cattle and sheep farmers.
    — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • And the government reshuffles in Kyiv, as well as major anti-government protests, show that civil society and democratic processes are still alive and well in Ukraine.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • New York assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, a democratic socialist, spoke at a rally on Thursday protesting against jailing people who steal items, such as personal care products, as a result of living in poverty.
    — Emily Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of democratic
Adjective
  • The partnership combines Saildrone’s experience operating autonomous vessels in remote maritime environments with Lockheed Martin’s expertise in weapons, sensors, combat systems and mission integration.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As men, women and children flooded across the border between Morocco and Spain, into the autonomous city of Ceuta at the end of July, European populists and anti-immigrant politicians capitalized on the shocking images of human desperation.
    — Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of autonomous
Adjective
  • Gartner expects sovereign-cloud spending to reach $80 billion in 2026, with a fifth of workloads shifting from global providers to local ones.
    — Bora Unlu, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • SpaceX could emerge as a serious competitor, while sovereign wealth funds such as Saudi Arabia’s PIF and Abu Dhabi’s MGX combine cheap capital, abundant power and the flexibility to work with both western and Chinese AI companies.
    — Amit Joshi, Fortune, 20 Aug. 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 27 Aug. 2026.

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