autonomy

noun au·ton·o·my \ ȯ-ˈtä-nə-mē \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of autonomy

plural autonomies

1 : the quality or state of being self-governing; especially : the right of self-government

The territory was granted autonomy.

2 : self-directing freedom and especially moral independence

personal autonomy

3 : a self-governing state

See autonomy defined for English-language learners

See autonomy defined for kids

Examples of autonomy in a Sentence

The Catalans take the matter of their language very seriously; it is an outward indication of their autonomy, of their distinction from the rest of Spain. —Polly Evans, It's Not About the Tapas, 2006
The term empire implies more than simple cultural dominance or preeminent military power. It applies to states that use force to occupy and control a group of other states or regions. The conquered states, robbed of autonomy and political independence, become colonies, provinces, or territories of the imperial power. Taxes are levied, laws are imposed, soldiers are conscripted, governors are installed—all without the consent of the subjugated state. —Michael J. Glennon, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2002
The social payoff of the new knowledge would be new technology, then new industries and new jobs. Compton got nowhere with the administration, partly because he was an anti-New Dealer, partly because the government was unwilling to grant scientists the autonomy that they claimed, and partly because his program represented a trickle-down approach to economic recovery. —Daniel J. Kevles, New Republic, 30 Sept. 2002
Usually, Americans think of freedom as a condition of personal autonomy, independence from the will of others. This way of thinking reflects just the kind of distinction—between oneself and the rest of the group of which one is a part—that Dewey considered false. —Louis Menand, The Metaphysical Club, 2001
a teacher who encourages individual autonomy
The territory has been granted autonomy.

Recent Examples of autonomy from the Web

The next level of autonomy could be something called imitation learning, in which a human either joysticks the robots to learn to do the tasks in the right sequence, or the robot watches the human do it and then mimics.

— matt simon, WIRED, "A Robot Does the Impossible: Assembling an Ikea Chair Without Having a Meltdown," 18 Apr. 2018
College quarterbacks are rarely afforded that kind of autonomy, especially in a spread offense.

— steven ruiz, For The Win, "Richmond's Kyle Lauletta has everything NFL teams should (but don't) look for in a QB prospect," 18 Apr. 2018
Allowing cities more autonomy, the argument goes, gives them the power to be better economic engines for the entire state.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "When states overrule cities: report finds preemption is spreading," 10 Apr. 2018
His competency might be improved, but his relatedness (his relationship with you) and his autonomy are lowered.

— gareth cook, Scientific American, "The Case for the “Self-Driven Child”," 13 Feb. 2018
Southerners have long advocated for greater autonomy or outright secession, complaining of domination by the north.

— ahmed al-haj, The Seattle Times, "Yemeni forces clash with separatists in Aden, 8 killed," 28 Jan. 2018
For a company that wants to be on the forefront of autonomy, GM is certainly being Scrooge-ish with its tech.

— andrew j. hawkins, The Verge, "The best, worst, and weirdest cars at the 2018 New York Auto Show," 31 Mar. 2018
One part of it would allow Serbs in Kosovo to form an association of municipalities that would give them some autonomy.

— Bloomberg.com, "Serbs Vow to Protect Kin in Kosovo After Seeking Putin's Advice," 29 Mar. 2018
But giving teachers autonomy doesn’t automatically mean that all will make good decisions.

— The Economist, "Britain has become one of the world’s biggest education laboratories," 28 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'autonomy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

autonomy Has Origins in Law

Since nomos is Greek for "law", something autonomous makes its own laws. The amount of autonomy enjoyed by French-speaking Quebec, or of Palestinians in certain towns in Israel, or of independent-minded regions of Russia, have become major issues. The autonomy of individual states in the United States has posed serious constitutional questions for two centuries. The autonomy of children is almost always limited by their parents. But when those parents are elderly and begin driving poorly and getting confused about their finances, their children may see the need to limit their autonomy in much the same way.