Synonyms of autonomous

autonomous

adjective

ȯ-ˈtä-nə-məs 

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

• independent
• sovereign
• separate
• self-governing
• self-governed
• freestanding
• democratic
• sovran
• self-ruling
• free
• liberated
• empowered
• emancipated
• freeborn
• unsupervised
• freed
• released
• republican
• redeemed
• delivered
• unruled
• unconquered
• manumitted
• enfranchised

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dependent
• subject
• nonautonomous
• unfree
• captive
• subjugated
• subdued
• bound
• enslaved
• conquered
• subordinate
• non-self-governing
• fettered
• subservient
• inferior

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

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