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Showing results for self-government. Search instead for semigovernme.
Definitions

self-government

[self-guhv-ern-muhnt, -er-muhnt, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈgʌv ərn mənt, -ər mənt, ˈsɛlf- /
NOUN
freedom
Synonyms
STRONGEST
autonomy discretion flexibility immunity independence sovereignty
STRONG
abandon abandonment ability bent compass exemption facility independency indulgence latitude laxity leeway liberty margin opportunity play power prerogative privilege profligacy range rein right rope scope sweep swing unrestraint
WEAK
carte blanche elbowroom free rein full play full swing laissez faire own accord plenty of rope rampancy
Antonyms
STRONGEST
dependence
STRONG
extreme impotence inability incompetence limitation restraint weakness

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This is already happening in Washington, where the Home Rule Act of 1973, which gave the city limited self-government, allows Congress oversight.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

They want their own right of self-determination and self-government in their Native nations.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2026

Their charitable giving supports a range of civic associations that train citizens in the skills and habits needed for self-government.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, has had extensive self-government since 1979, though defence and foreign policy remain in Danish hands.

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025

Important historically, these were the free people encountered by France and Britain—personifications of democratic self-government so vivid that some historians and activists have argued that the Great Law of Peace directly inspired the U.S.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann