as in democracy
government in which the supreme power is held by the people and used by them directly or indirectly through representation
the newly created United States opted for self-rule rather than monarchy
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Recent Examples of self-rule
While acknowledging Palestinian self-rule in Areas A and B, Oren said a fully sovereign Palestinian state is impossible.
—
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Washington is caught between preventing a collapse of its Kurdish partners’ self-rule enclave — which played a central role in defeating Islamic State in Syria — and supporting Sharaa’s bid to consolidate control over the rest of the country.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Hundreds gathered in Copenhagen on Saturday in support of Greenland and its right to self-rule.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 17 Jan. 2026
The move has elevated concerns that the same could happen with Greenland, a Danish territory with limited self-rule.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 Jan. 2026
Yes, Greenland, a North American island east of Canada, is a Danish territory with limited self-rule.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Debating forms of government on a remote island is not just about local self-rule.
—Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Nov. 2025
This shift should assuage Beijing’s concern that the United States seeks to make Taiwan’s self-rule permanent and emboldens Taipei to take every step toward total separation short of declaring independence.
—Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2025
Democrats also widely back the Home Rule Act, which allows D.C.’s local government a form of self-rule.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 14 Aug. 2025
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Washington is caught between preventing a collapse of its Kurdish partners’ self-rule enclave — which played a central role in defeating Islamic State in Syria — and supporting Sharaa’s bid to consolidate control over the rest of the country.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Hundreds gathered in Copenhagen on Saturday in support of Greenland and its right to self-rule.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 17 Jan. 2026
The move has elevated concerns that the same could happen with Greenland, a Danish territory with limited self-rule.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 Jan. 2026
Yes, Greenland, a North American island east of Canada, is a Danish territory with limited self-rule.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Debating forms of government on a remote island is not just about local self-rule.
—Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Nov. 2025
This shift should assuage Beijing’s concern that the United States seeks to make Taiwan’s self-rule permanent and emboldens Taipei to take every step toward total separation short of declaring independence.
—Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2025
Democrats also widely back the Home Rule Act, which allows D.C.’s local government a form of self-rule.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-rule
democracy
Noun
-
Threat to democracy Bishop Anthony Taylor's recent Facebook post and its coverage in Wednesday's Arkansas Gazette-Democrat greatly impressed me.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Every day augurs some new threat—to democracy, to decency.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-rule.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-rule. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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