as in obvious
easy to understand without explanation
a self-explanatory phrase The chapter titles of the book are self-explanatory.
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Recent Examples of self-explanatory
The word bombogenesis is a combination of cyclogenesis, which describes the formation of a cyclone or storm, and bomb, which is pretty self-explanatory.
—
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Still, even when the benefits are self-explanatory, cutting ties is easier said than done, as shown by this statistic.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 9 Feb. 2026
Light switches, which have been self-explanatory since the dawn of electric lighting, apparently now come as an unlabeled multibutton panel that literally required a tutorial session from a technician.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
The product is fairly self-explanatory and easy to navigate.
—Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-explanatory
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Still, even when the benefits are self-explanatory, cutting ties is easier said than done, as shown by this statistic.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 9 Feb. 2026
Light switches, which have been self-explanatory since the dawn of electric lighting, apparently now come as an unlabeled multibutton panel that literally required a tutorial session from a technician.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
The product is fairly self-explanatory and easy to navigate.
—Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-explanatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-explanatory
Adjective
-
Don’t force a quick fix, but don’t ignore what’s obvious.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Likewise the only evidence that Trump might not be crazy is his obvious determination to seem so.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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Dahl’s revulsion at the violence committed in Israel’s name is at once comprehensible, in and of itself, and rooted in Dahl’s set of antisemitic beliefs.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Wagner already missed 48 games during the regular season while working his way back from injury, and the caution surrounding his current calf strain is understandable given the risk associated with rushing that type of issue.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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It is often discussed in terms of leverage, supply and pricing — understandable, given its role in the global economy.—
Atom Ariola,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That became more evident in September, when Harry visited Charles amid the king's cancer diagnosis.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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As the town is engulfed by the haunt, there’s a recognition evident in Rhys’ reactions, as if the horrors Tom’s facing are simultaneously too ludicrous to accept and too familiar to reject.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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It’s been especially apparent this year because the draft is really good.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
As the argument continued, Alexander and his 62-year-old father, in turn, urinated on his neighbor’s yard in apparent retaliation for the dog’s actions, prosecutors say.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Revisiting maps mid-decade for political advantage runs directly against both the spirit and the plain language of those protections.—
Dan Daley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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But a glimpse at an earlier journalistic universe—newspapers in the era before social media—shows the dishonesty at the center of the project to treat the plain meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment as up for grabs.—
Lawrence Glickman,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But Kinahan’s capture may have a more straightforward explanation.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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The appeal is pretty straightforward.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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July 23 – August 22 Clarity today comes from keeping your message simple and grounded.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Brown said Atlanta was taking away the Knicks’ spray game, which made the answer simpler.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-explanatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-explanatory. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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