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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Recent Examples of self-governing
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
Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory, is under growing pressure from China, which has not ruled out using force to seize control.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2023
The Chinese Communist Party claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as part of its territory, despite having never controlled it, and refuses to rule out the use of force.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 13 Mar. 2023
The satirical news follows the very real law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that wrests control of the resort’s self-governing district.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2023
Disney’s self-governing status endured because the company’s unrivaled political power in Florida made its arrangement virtually untouchable.
—Ron Desantis, WSJ, 28 Feb. 2023
Beijing suspended talks in August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, the self-governing island China claims as its own.
—Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
The creation of the self-governing district was instrumental in Disney's decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2023
The creation of the self-governing district was instrumental in Disney’s decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s.
—Anthony Izaguirre, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Feb. 2023
Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2023
Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory, is under growing pressure from China, which has not ruled out using force to seize control.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2023
The Chinese Communist Party claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as part of its territory, despite having never controlled it, and refuses to rule out the use of force.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 13 Mar. 2023
The satirical news follows the very real law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that wrests control of the resort’s self-governing district.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2023
Disney’s self-governing status endured because the company’s unrivaled political power in Florida made its arrangement virtually untouchable.
—Ron Desantis, WSJ, 28 Feb. 2023
Beijing suspended talks in August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, the self-governing island China claims as its own.
—Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
The creation of the self-governing district was instrumental in Disney's decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2023
The creation of the self-governing district was instrumental in Disney’s decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s.
—Anthony Izaguirre, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-governing
Adjective
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The McClatchy Commerce Content team, which is independent from our newsroom, oversees this content.—
Calesa Township,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Then, as president, Joe Biden twice said that the people of Taiwan should decide whether to be independent.—
STEPHEN WERTHEIM,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The last quarter of the eighteenth century was a pre-democratic era, and all efforts to read a Jacksonian or Tocquevillian faith in the wisdom of the common man into the American founding are misleading distortions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Two of Africa’s longest-serving leaders secured extensions to their rule, cementing signs of democratic erosion on the continent.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The push for fully autonomous systems, agents that plan, reason, and act without human oversight, has created an automation theater where demos impress, but production systems disappoint.—
Joel Hron,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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Larger mushroom systems could find applications in edge computing and aerospace exploration, while smaller iterations might enhance autonomous systems and wearable devices.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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So, in the UAE, we're partnered with Abu Dhabi, and there's two funds that have invested Mubadala, which is one of the sovereign wealth funds and IHC, another one of the sovereign wealth funds.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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More recently, the firm advised the government on many of its international bond sales and helped finance the sovereign wealth fund’s $55 billion purchase of Electronic Arts.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In May 2016, police collected DNA evidence from Clay after he was arrested on separate theft charges.—
Kelsey Lentz,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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Radiolarians were visible throughout the book, which was published as separate volumes between 1899 and 1904 and finally as a complete edition in 1904 with one hundred full-page lithographs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-governing. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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