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
As we observe the 250th anniversary of the document that declared this proposition a self-evident truth, many Americans don’t regard it as true, let alone self-evident.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
For Kim, the propaganda value of Xi's visit is self-evident.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
The existential philosophy of Camus and Sartre, self-evident truths for these absurdist writers, is conveyed less through the content than through the style of their plays.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
This statement initially appears self-evident, but it is partially mistaken.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
