as in obvious
easy to understand without explanation
a self-explanatory phrase The chapter titles of the book are self-explanatory.
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Recent Examples of self-explanatory
While helpful instructions are included, assembly in the backyard is self-explanatory.
—
Sandi Schwartz, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2025
While the word overfishing may sound self-explanatory, the nuance is essential: overfishing relative to what?
—Simi Thambi, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Cucumber Slices: This is pretty self-explanatory, but for this: Most Gordon’s Cups you’ll be served will be a pulpy soup of battered cucumbers and lime wedges.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 7 June 2025
The runes thing is self-explanatory, as runs will now be more rewarding.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-explanatory
Sandi Schwartz, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2025
While the word overfishing may sound self-explanatory, the nuance is essential: overfishing relative to what?
—Simi Thambi, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Cucumber Slices: This is pretty self-explanatory, but for this: Most Gordon’s Cups you’ll be served will be a pulpy soup of battered cucumbers and lime wedges.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 7 June 2025
The runes thing is self-explanatory, as runs will now be more rewarding.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-explanatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-explanatory
Adjective
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The common denominator with all these issues is obvious.—
Vincent Turley,
Hartford Courant,
21 Aug. 2025
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The first and most obvious is the genuinely absurd three year wait for eight more episodes of a show that in no way should take that long to make.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There’s a moment in the final pages of the Voyage when Darwin implies that his apprehension of the magnitude of time comes to him through a kind of via negativa, that Desert Fathers practice of seeking God by stripping away all that is comprehensible and then watching to see what remains.—
Lewis Hyde,
Harpers Magazine,
18 June 2025
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Sparse autoencoders, for instance, can help simplify neural network activations into comprehensible parts.—
Rishabh Sambare,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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This greater understanding of how to effectively use AI was evident as brands used the technology in more compelling, smarter ways across campaigns.—
Emily Ketchen,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The same trend was evident at the World Artificial Intelligence Film Festival in Nice, where emotional storytelling prevailed over technical skill.—
Bogdan Nesvit,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That much was apparent as Washington put on a show in the Dolphins’ 14-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
24 Aug. 2025
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But when the team moved on to testing if the prosthesis could decode unstructured inner speech, the limitations of the BCI became quite apparent.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For certified cave divers, joining a dive here is remarkably straightforward.—
Jennifer Walker,
CNN Money,
18 Aug. 2025
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So this was all set up in a very straightforward way.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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These frames slip right around standard switch plates, instantly turning them from plain plastic rectangles into polished, eye-catching features.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Aug. 2025
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To devein, or not to devein, isn't a plain yes or no answer.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In North Carolina, Republicans are a few votes shy of a supermajority in one chamber but still control the redistricting process because the state’s congressional maps are not subject to veto and therefore can be passed by a simple majority in the legislature.—
Elena Shao,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
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The recycled leather lanyard adds to its convenience and simple, timeless style.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The logic is clear: federal funds, institutional oversight, and NCAA membership make universities easier to regulate than high school districts, which are governed by state athletic associations.—
Aaron S. Marks,
Hartford Courant,
15 Aug. 2025
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Without a clear national figurehead, however, that task largely falls to Democratic mayors, several of whom stressed that their cities are successfully combating violence.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-explanatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-explanatory. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
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