self-governed

[self-guhv-ernd, self-]

adjective

1. governed by itself or having self-government, as a state or community; independent.

   Synonyms: autonomous
   Antonyms: dependent

2. self-regulating; self-determining.

3. exercising self-restraint or self-control.

Other Word Forms

• self-governing adjective
• nonself-governing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-governed¹

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

Chinese customs officers in eastern Shandong province have seized 60,000 maps that "mislabelled" the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.

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Chinese state media reported that Xi warned Washington that it should handle Taiwan "with caution" to avoid conflict, just days after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said China posed an "imminent" threat to the self-governed island.

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The title of “happiest place in Asia,” also coincides with increasing military threats from China, which claims the self-governed island as a part of its territory.

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And as a self-governed group breaking into two opposing sides: the very savage and the not so savage . . . yet, the boys were mostly numb to the death of Piggy, until they were rescued or, in other words, "caught."

Read more on Salon

China claims the self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory, and has not ruled out the use of force over it.

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Related Words

• absolute 
• autonomous 
• unlimited