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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 fallout from the files has consumed much of the news media in recent weeks, dominating headlines and coverage at major news institutions as journalists and independent creators dig through the files for embarrassing nuggets of association about high-profile individuals.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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Confirming independent biological signatures.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Mamdani’s democratic socialist agenda also draws support beyond New York.—
Neetu Arnold,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
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Jackson emerged from that movement with a lifelong commitment to expanding democratic participation.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In real-world scenarios, efficiency declined slightly but remained better than existing autonomous systems.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
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The Midas Project also claims that OpenAI cannot definitively prove the model lacks the autonomy required for the extra measures, as the company’s previous, less advanced model already topped global benchmarks for autonomous task completion.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Other backers of Paramount’s WBD bid include the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2026
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Mubadala Capital was launched by the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala about 15 years ago to manage third-party capital.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-governing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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