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Synonyms

self-evident

American  
[self-ev-i-duhnt, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈɛv ɪ dənt, ˈsɛlf- /

adjective

  1. evident in itself without proof or demonstration; axiomatic.

    Synonyms:
    self-explanatory, obvious
self-evident British  

adjective

  1. containing its own evidence or proof without need of further demonstration

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

“Why are we having success in signing up partners? I think it’s self-evident, which is we’ve got demand,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said on a conference call.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

“Michael” might be a self-evident, self-sustaining, self-indulgent piece of PR.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

But he added: "Rightmove is exploiting a self-evident dominant market position, and are charging too much for it."

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The book’s central thesis that “whoever dominates space will also be poised to oversee our lives here on Earth” is correct but not self-evident.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

He was, they decided, not like them at all, and the detached and aloof manner in which he watched the snowfall made this palpable and self-evident.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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.