self-government

noun

self-gov·​ern·​ment ˌself-ˈgə-vər(n)-mənt 

-ˈgə-vᵊm-ənt

1

: self-control, self-command

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

Synonyms

• democracy
• republic
• self-rule

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

Russians have never experienced self-government, freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process, the rule of law or separation of powers. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 15 Nov. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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