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 Both had been on the board of the 48 Cantones of Totonicapán—one of the country’s oldest Indigenous self-governing bodies, in rural western Guatemala—when the attorney general’s office had moved to annul the vote. — Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026 The final package fell far short of what President Lai Ching-te insisted was necessary to prepare the self-governing island for a potential Chinese attack. — Scott Tong, NPR, 11 June 2026 China claims the democratic self-governing island as its own, and Xi has not ruled out using force to take it. — David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for self-governing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-governing
  1. independent
  2. democratic
  3. autonomous
  4. sovereign
Adjective
  • The maintenance requests have kept engine repair and overhaul facilities backed up, from those owned by manufacturing giants GE Aerospace and RTX unit Pratt & Whitney to smaller, independent ones.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • To pinpoint the exact moment of this turnaround, Young’s team used two independent dating methods.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • Its nascent democratic system confronted entrenched social hierarchies of caste and power.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The findings come three decades after the democratic government introduced a raft of measures — known as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) — aimed at reversing the dispossession suffered by Black people under apartheid and colonialism.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of democratic
Adjective
  • Why Uber Eats keeps putting robots on sidewalks Despite the controversy, companies continue investing in autonomous delivery because the technology offers some practical advantages.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • When vision keynotes and customer stories promise an autonomous future, but lived experiences don’t match up, trust fades.
    — Chris Koehler, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of autonomous
Adjective
  • According to reporting by Semafor on Monday, the decision came after Wall Street executives privately raised safety concerns about attending the event with the event’s organizers, including Saudi sovereign fund PIF’s governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • However, when risk appetite wanes and political uncertainty mounts, foreign investors may rapidly rebalance portfolios, amplifying price volatility in sovereign debt markets.
    — , CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sovereign

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self-government
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Cite this Entry

“Self-governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-governing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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