Synonym Chooser

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 For example, a fleet of autonomous ocean-going drones called Saildrones, which helped gather data used in hurricane forecasts, were not deployed this summer after a contracting issue. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 July 2025 Tech advancements: The flying taxis, which take off like helicopters and fly like planes, are part of a broader push for innovation at MIA, complementing recent tech initiatives like autonomous wheelchairs and navigation apps for the visually impaired. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025 The Fortune 500 company’s autonomous AI agent platform recently surpassed 1 million AI agent-customer conversations, with agents now autonomously resolving 85% of all customer queries, according to Robin Washington, president and chief operating and financial officer (COFO) at Salesforce. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 10 July 2025 Some states have worked toward laws that mandate human operators in autonomous vehicles; others have fought against the proliferation of deepfakes flooding the internet; some have taken on data privacy and more. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for autonomous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autonomous
Adjective
  • The McClatchy Commerce Content team, which is independent from our newsroom, oversees this content.
    Panorama Media Ltd, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
  • Why are Hobbs, Gallego calling for an independent investigation?
    Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • The government has met all revenue targets and is set to announce a strong sovereign rating from Standard & Poor’s, further cementing its economic stability.
    Panorama Media Ltd, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
  • Among the seven cornerstone investors are Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, which is the investment trust’s second-largest shareholder after sponsor NTT.
    Zinnia Lee, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • The rate is separate from sectoral tariffs placed on steel, aluminum and autos, and shortly copper.
    Jenni Reid, CNBC, 11 July 2025
  • In a separate recall, Tooetoy Pool Drain Covers were withdrawn from the market for violating federal pool safety standards.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Autonomous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autonomous. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on autonomous

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