1
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions
the United States officially recognizes 18 as the age at which someone is entitled to self-determination
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in autonomy
the state of being free from the control or power of another
rebels fighting for the territory's self-determination
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-determination
Owning her anger gave her a greater sense of agency and self-determination.
—
Cat Cardenas, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2025
Organized by Native Americans in Philanthropy, the 16-to-24-year-old participants said the inclusive process reflected Indian Country values of self-determination and intergenerational relationship-building that more donors should embrace.
—Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The Sahrawi people continue to live in exile and in diaspora, deprived of their right to self-determination and sovereignty.
—Vogue, 9 Oct. 2025
By the mid-nineteen-sixties, Africa had been transformed from a patchwork of colonies to one of mostly independent countries, each devoted, at least in theory, to self-determination.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Cat Cardenas, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2025
Organized by Native Americans in Philanthropy, the 16-to-24-year-old participants said the inclusive process reflected Indian Country values of self-determination and intergenerational relationship-building that more donors should embrace.
—Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The Sahrawi people continue to live in exile and in diaspora, deprived of their right to self-determination and sovereignty.
—Vogue, 9 Oct. 2025
By the mid-nineteen-sixties, Africa had been transformed from a patchwork of colonies to one of mostly independent countries, each devoted, at least in theory, to self-determination.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-determination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-determination
Noun
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Vernengo said the reclassification of drug dealers as terrorists has led many in the region to assume that there is a push for a possible invasion of Venezuela, whose neighbors have no choice but to have a relationship with the United States.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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With fewer families able to afford lessons and operating costs on the rise, Jackson has had to make difficult choices just to keep his doors open.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Earlier this month, the robot performed a classical dance routine and learnt the art of picking up tennis balls, demonstrating its dexterity and autonomy.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Robotics and autonomy were leaving laboratories for factories and highways.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Their vision of Canadian sovereignty, linked to the preservation of social democracy and protected from American influence, was simply no longer relevant.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Taiwan, under President Lai Ching-te, has asserted its sovereignty in new and destabilizing ways, casting its political system as separate from and threatened by the mainland’s.—
STEPHEN WERTHEIM,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Traditional narratives obscure the role slavery might have played in Texas’ drive for independence and portray the Alamo’s defenders as freedom fighters.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Steve Coppell knew how to manage people, play the right tactics and give us the freedom to express ourselves.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Other artists address psychological and ecological rupture, from Shirin Neshat’s haunting meditations on freedom to Sharbendu De’s visions of climate futures.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-determination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-determination. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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