self-ruling

adjective

ˌself-ˈrü-liŋ How to pronounce self-ruling (audio)
Definition of self-rulingnext
1
as in democratic
of, relating to, or favoring political democracy having rid itself of the yoke of colonialism, the new nation chose to be a self-ruling state

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2
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another was granted special status as a self-ruling province

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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-ruling But the real change might be in East Asia, where Kim’s belligerence and rising fears regarding China’s designs on self-ruling Taiwan had already reenergized the nuclear debate. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Mar. 2026 Like Assad before him, Sharaa now faces complex negotiations toward bringing these self-ruling territories under his command. — Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025 In recent years, Beijing has ramped up economic, diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan – a self-ruling democracy the Chinese Communist Party claims as its own despite having never governed it. — Eric Cheung, CNN, 13 Mar. 2023 In a meeting earlier with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Raisi expressed support for China's crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong and claim to self-ruling democratic Taiwan. — Bradford Betz, Fox News, 17 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for self-ruling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-ruling
  1. democratic
  2. independent
  3. autonomous
  4. sovereign
  5. separate
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
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • Davis’s letter follows a separate ethics complaint filed by a conservative watchdog group to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics over Slotkin’s University of Chicago remarks, first reported by the Washington Examiner on Tuesday.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Ticketmaster also faces a separate lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and seven states.
    — James LaForge, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of separate

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self-rule
self-ruling
self-sacrifice
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Cite this Entry

“Self-ruling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-ruling. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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