self-determination

American  

[self-di-tur-muh-ney-shuhn, self-] / ˈsɛlf dɪˌtɜr məˈneɪ ʃən, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. determination by oneself or itself, without outside influence.

2. freedom to live as one chooses, or to act or decide without consulting another or others.

3. the determining by the people of the form their government shall have, without reference to the wishes of any other nation, especially by people of a territory or former colony.

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self-determination British  

noun

1. the power or ability to make a decision for oneself without influence from outside

2. the right of a nation or people to determine its own form of government without influence from outside

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Other Word Forms

• self-determined adjective
• self-determining adjective

Etymology

Origin of self-determination

1670–80; 1915–20 self-determination for def. 3

Example Sentences

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

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2026

Rana's case had sparked a debate in India around the ethics of court-approved passive euthanasia, with some noting that it goes against the principle of self-determination, which is the foundation of a living will.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

He said any talks must take place "from a position of equals, with respect for our sovereignty, our independence and our self-determination" and without "interference in our internal affairs."

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Zionism is, in essence, a communitarian nationalism: the assertion of a people’s right to self-determination in its ancestral homeland.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

It was a movement in which African Americans seized upon their first chances for group expression and self-determination.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• autonomy
• home rule
• self-government
• self-reliance
• self-rule
• self-sufficiency
• separation
• sovereignty