autonomous

adjective

ȯ-ˈtä-nə-məs How to pronounce autonomous (audio)
Definition of autonomousnext
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another Native American nations are regarded as autonomous in many respects and thus not subject to a number of state and local laws

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the adjective autonomous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of autonomous are free, independent, and sovereign. While all these words mean "not subject to the rule or control of another," autonomous stresses independence in matters pertaining to self-government.

in this denomination each congregation is regarded as autonomous

When might free be a better fit than autonomous?

While the synonyms free and autonomous are close in meaning, free stresses the complete absence of external rule and the full right to make all of one's own decisions.

you're free to do as you like

When is it sensible to use independent instead of autonomous?

The synonyms independent and autonomous are sometimes interchangeable, but independent implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies.

the colony's struggle to become independent

When would sovereign be a good substitute for autonomous?

The words sovereign and autonomous can be used in similar contexts, but sovereign stresses the absence of a superior power and implies supremacy within a thing's own domain or sphere.

separate and sovereign armed services

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of autonomous Now, the military is trying to keep up with the innovation going on in the private sector—AI and autonomous vehicles, drones, etc. —Edward Felsenthal, TIME, 16 Mar. 2025 This vision of the future is becoming increasingly real thanks to advancements in autonomous driving technology. —Fox News Staff, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025 Several of the prisoners are former high-ranking officials of Nagorno-Karabakh's autonomous breakaway government, including three former presidents and an ex-state minister (effectively the prime minister), Ruben Vardanyan. —Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 Waymo currently operates 300 fully autonomous cars in San Francisco, and their parking violations are less than 1% of the 1.2 million tickets issued city-wide in 2024, the Post notes. —Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for autonomous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autonomous
  1. independent
  2. sovereign
  3. separate
Adjective
  • As recently as last spring, polls showed that almost half the population of Catalonia would choose to be independent from the rest of Spain.
    — Coke Bartrina, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2025
  • They are also designed as a form of soft diplomacy, modeling independent journalism that incorporates dissent from government policy.
    — David Folkenflik, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • That agreement recognizes the Pacific archipelago as a sovereign nation that conducts its own foreign policy but gives the U.S. control over defense and security.
    — Danica Kirka, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
  • This imperils not only American democracy but also other democratic sovereign nations.
    — Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of sovereign
Adjective
  • Instead, the judge gave weight to testimony from his family that a separate gang called Barrio 18 in El Salvador had threatened Abrego Garcia with death because his family would not pay the gang protection money.
    — Brian Bennett, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The gym murder case in the episode is very much separate from everything else going on with Olympia and Matty’s story.
    — Jim Halterman, Variety, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of separate

Browse Nearby Words

autonomies
autonomous
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Cite this Entry

“Autonomous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autonomous. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of autonomous for Spanish Speakers

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