1
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions
the director agreed to make the film only on the condition that she be given complete autonomy for the casting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in independence
the state of being free from the control or power of another
finding the mother country's treatment of them oppressive and intolerable, the 13 British colonies made the momentous decision to seek autonomy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of autonomy
Indigenous people like Pontiac wanted to reach that shining mountain of autonomy.
—
Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Four groups, one from each of those religions, filed a brief urging the high court to take up the USCCB’s case, warning that keeping the lower court rulings in place could lead to infringements on religious autonomy for other religions.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2026
China’s state regulators assess the autonomous driving capabilities of models on a five-tier scale, broadly ranging from cruise control at level one to full autonomy at level five.
—Matthew Chin, CNBC, 21 May 2026
State legislation and gubernatorial initiatives hostile to law enforcement including state mandates encroaching on local autonomy have made police recruiting and retention challenging.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for autonomy
Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Four groups, one from each of those religions, filed a brief urging the high court to take up the USCCB’s case, warning that keeping the lower court rulings in place could lead to infringements on religious autonomy for other religions.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2026
China’s state regulators assess the autonomous driving capabilities of models on a five-tier scale, broadly ranging from cruise control at level one to full autonomy at level five.
—Matthew Chin, CNBC, 21 May 2026
State legislation and gubernatorial initiatives hostile to law enforcement including state mandates encroaching on local autonomy have made police recruiting and retention challenging.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for autonomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autonomy
Noun
-
There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination only to realize your shoes were a terrible choice.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
25 May 2026
-
Even so, the rooms remain an appealing choice for travelers who prioritize space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Its own members also would have more direct supervision from the Oakland City Council, undermining a key aspect of its independence.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
-
Some Tibetan groups advocate independence for Tibet, since little progress has been made in talks with China.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Data sovereignty will define institutional power.—
Deborah Wince-Smith,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
Perhaps the most radical element of republicanism was that the nation’s sovereignty would be held by its citizenry rather than by a monarch or an autocrat.—
Tyler Green,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Freedom 250 was reminded this week that artists have freedom too.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
Paradoxically, what for students was freedom was for teachers a useful means of control.—
Thomas Adam,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
This visit was very important signal for our partners that Kyiv, much more safety right now, and also very important signal that Great Britain stay together with Ukraine, support Ukraine -- support our country in the fight for our freedom, for our independency.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2022
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Yet the careful reader will appreciate the significance of the Puritan Cromwell’s independency.—
Barton Swaim,
WSJ,
27 Dec. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Autonomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autonomy. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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