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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But those satellites are controlled by myriad federal agencies, which, according to knowledgeable insiders, are too fiercely independent to coöperate smoothly.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
What was the reason to go that route and release the first independent record since your debut album?—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Three Republicans opposed the measure — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky — alongside every Democratic senator.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
1 July 2025
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Presenting as Muslim perhaps exempted him from comparisons to 2020 Democratic Congressional candidate Sri Preston Kulkarni from Texas, who used his polyglot skills to reach a wide array of voters, but was chastised for seemingly pandering to Hindu conservatives.—
Alexandra Bregman,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Ukraine launched autonomous craft from catapults and snared Russian drones in fishing nets.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
The autonomous vehicle industry is expected to expand considerably, and Waymo is well-positioned to capture a significant share of this burgeoning market.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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The government has met all revenue targets and is set to announce a strong sovereign rating from Standard & Poor’s, further cementing its economic stability.—
Panorama Media Ltd,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
-
Among the seven cornerstone investors are Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, which is the investment trust’s second-largest shareholder after sponsor NTT.—
Zinnia Lee,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Breakthroughs on four separate fronts—bigger and better hardware, smarter algorithms, hybrid quantum-classical workflows and developer-friendly software—are compounding to pull the future forward.—
Yuval Boger,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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Meeting the challenge of finger-level control Achieving separate movement for each robotic finger is a real challenge.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-governing. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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