self-determination
noun
self-de·ter·mi·na·tion
ˌself-di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən 
1
: free choice of one's own acts or states without external compulsion
2
: determination by the people of a territorial unit of their own future political status
Examples of self-determination in a Sentence
the United States officially recognizes 18 as the age at which someone is entitled to self-determination
rebels fighting for the territory's self-determination
Recent Examples on the Web
Catlett embodied self-determination and universality, which led her to craft artworks that function ahead of and outside time.
—
Shameekia Shantel Johnson, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024
For an Israeli state that rejects Palestinian self-determination and feels unconstrained by its Western allies—and particularly for Netanyahu, who is determined to protect his domestic political power at any cost—the results of the American invasion of Iraq are less a warning than a model.
—Mohanad Hage Ali, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2024
As these plots intersect, Morisseau mines the rich vein that is blurriness between economic self-determination and exploitation and the way that, as Thomas points out, white liberal and Black American economic guilt greases the wheels of paternalism, powering the whole thing.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
Like Water for Chocolate is, at its core, a story about self-determination, and about the horrors, violent and otherwise, that can ensue when those with power deny others autonomy.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-determination 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Shameekia Shantel Johnson, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024
For an Israeli state that rejects Palestinian self-determination and feels unconstrained by its Western allies—and particularly for Netanyahu, who is determined to protect his domestic political power at any cost—the results of the American invasion of Iraq are less a warning than a model.
—Mohanad Hage Ali, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2024
As these plots intersect, Morisseau mines the rich vein that is blurriness between economic self-determination and exploitation and the way that, as Thomas points out, white liberal and Black American economic guilt greases the wheels of paternalism, powering the whole thing.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
Like Water for Chocolate is, at its core, a story about self-determination, and about the horrors, violent and otherwise, that can ensue when those with power deny others autonomy.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-determination
Dictionary Entries Near self-determination
Cite this Entry
“Self-determination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-determination. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share