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 On Thursday, Tesla was approved to start testing autonomous vehicles in Nevada. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025 That's unlike Waymo and Tesla's autonomous taxi services that currently use regular-looking cars. New Atlas, 11 Sep. 2025 Datong in 2022 is unrecognizable to 2001 as autonomous robots roam the stores and the clubs have scattered. Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025 The episodes themselves are built using AI, powered by 184 custom AI agents, or autonomous software tools, who work with several large language models, including OpenAI, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini and more to build out the content. Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for autonomous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autonomous
Adjective
  • To have a chance at winning in November, a Democratic candidate will need to draw independent voters and sway on the fence Republicans, in addition rallying Democrats, Rottinghaus said.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Though most sightings can be identified as planes, balloons, drones and weather events, the independent group says more sophisticated scientific research is needed, along with efforts to remove the stigma of reporting UFOs (sorry, UAP).
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Gulf states like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE could utilize their vast sovereign wealth funds to impose trade limitations on Israel.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund launched LIV in 2022 as a competitor to the PGA Tour.
    Tim Casey, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In the end, Sutton-Schulman won the Triangle Springs appeal, but Highmark classified L’s treatment at Menninger as two separate admissions.
    Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Luna's Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets was established in February 2025 and is a separate House Oversight subcommittee from the one that last held a hearing on UFOs in November.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Autonomous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autonomous. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on autonomous

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