self-evident
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-evident
First recorded in 1665–75
Vocabulary lists containing self-evident
Obvious
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Obvious
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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.
The part that so many Americans are taught in school is: “We hold these truths to be self-evident … life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2026
“When we were the political slaves of King George, and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that ‘all men are created equal’ a self-evident truth,” Lincoln wrote in 1855.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Burden wrote this long after the fact, when the binary nature of her marriage became self-evident.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026
“The conclusion became self-evident — this Court simply does not have the information the law requires to enter a Temporary Restraining Order at this stage of the proceedings,” McCabria wrote.
From Salon ● Mar. 16, 2026
“Of course,” I say, as if this would be self-evident.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
