self-government

noun

self-gov·​ern·​ment ˌself-ˈgə-vər(n)-mənt How to pronounce self-government (audio)
-ˈgə-vᵊm-ənt
1
2
: government under the control and direction of the inhabitants of a political unit rather than by an outside authority
broadly : control of one's own affairs

Examples of self-government in a Sentence

self-government implies faith in the wisdom and essential goodness of the people steely self-government was all that kept her from lashing out at the rude customer championed self-government for the nation's indigenous peoples
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Meanwhile, Congress stonewalled, gradually increasing the island’s self-government but withholding a permanent, non-colonial status. Christina D. Ponsa-Kraus / Made By History, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024 Myanmar, in the midst of a crackdown by its military rulers, is sprouting new forms of local self-government. Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 5 Oct. 2024 Those creedal ideals include liberty, equality, laissez-faire and limited self-government. Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2024 The growing reputation of the studium, which attracted scholars from across Europe, helped the village of Bologna become a commune with powers of municipal self-government. Bradford Vivian / Made By History, TIME, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for self-government 

Word History

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-government was in 1622

Dictionary Entries Near self-government

Cite this Entry

“Self-government.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-government. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-government

noun
self-gov·​ern·​ment
ˈself-ˈgəv-ər(n)-mənt,
-ˈgəv-ᵊm-ənt
1
: control over one's own actions : self-control
2
: government by action of the people making up a community
especially : democratic government
self-governed
-ˈgəv-ərnd
adjective
self-governing
-ər-niŋ
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on self-government

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!