self-validating
adjective
self-val·i·dat·ing
ˌself-ˈva-lə-ˌdā-tiŋ 
1
: validating itself : needing no guarantee or judgment of its validity outside of itself
… the Pulitzer business … is a self-validating ritual whereby journalists give each other prizes and then boast to the public about them.—
Alexander Cockburn
Alexander Cockburn… the Pulitzer business … is a self-validating ritual whereby journalists give each other prizes and then boast to the public about them.—Alexander Cockburn
Alexander Cockburn
also
: of, relating to, or involving something that is self-validating
a self-validating cycle
2
: tending or serving to recognize, confirm, or establish one's own worthiness or legitimacy : providing self-validation
a self-validating experience
Earning that win can also feel self-validating.—Ritika Trikha
Ritika TrikhaHow we choose to interpret what happens in our lives—the stories we tell to ourselves and others—color how we experience life. It's time to tell a new, more accepting and self-validating story.—Kathy Caprino
Kathy CaprinoExamples of self-validating in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, chatbots are designed to be self-validating and sycophantic in order to keep us engaged and coming back for more.
—
Tessa West,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Data becomes self-validating, resilient and continuously improving as part of an intelligent quality ecosystem.
—
Tina Chakrabarty,
Forbes.com,
2 Feb. 2026
When winning is the self-validating end goal, the story can completely untether itself from all other concerns including verifiable reality.
—
Dan Bekerman,
Deadline,
1 Nov. 2024
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Tessa West,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Data becomes self-validating, resilient and continuously improving as part of an intelligent quality ecosystem.
—
Tina Chakrabarty,
Forbes.com,
2 Feb. 2026
When winning is the self-validating end goal, the story can completely untether itself from all other concerns including verifiable reality.
—
Dan Bekerman,
Deadline,
1 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-validating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-validating. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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