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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of autonomy
Hivemind is Shield’s flagship autonomy platform, which acts as an AI pilot for unmanned systems.
—
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 19 May 2026
Among adult patients who have the capacity to make their own medical decisions, autonomy (with rare exceptions like suicide) generally wins out — even in scenarios, as in my field of adult intensive care unit (ICU) medicine, where the consequences can be dire.
—Adam W. Gaffney, STAT, 18 May 2026
Gem mining also finances ethnic armed groups fighting for autonomy, contributing to Burma’s long-running conflicts.
—Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
The increasing autonomy of UAVs, enabled by advancements in AI, further complicates the ethical landscape.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for autonomy
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 19 May 2026
Among adult patients who have the capacity to make their own medical decisions, autonomy (with rare exceptions like suicide) generally wins out — even in scenarios, as in my field of adult intensive care unit (ICU) medicine, where the consequences can be dire.
—Adam W. Gaffney, STAT, 18 May 2026
Gem mining also finances ethnic armed groups fighting for autonomy, contributing to Burma’s long-running conflicts.
—Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
The increasing autonomy of UAVs, enabled by advancements in AI, further complicates the ethical landscape.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for autonomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autonomy
Noun
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At the 2023 Genesis Invitational, Rai ditched his own practice regimen to watch his idol, Tiger Woods, play in the pro-am, not caring what others would think about the choice.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
The broader macro environment is also affecting consumer choices.—
,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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The federal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro regarding the downing of a civilian plane in 1996 fired up the Cuban exile community in Miami, where the indictment was announced Wednesday – the same day the Cuban diaspora celebrate their independence from Spain.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Noun
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By finding your allies, defining the goals and determining working integration states, any IT department can successfully migrate its IT and improve its digital sovereignty.—
Kevin Korte,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Previous statements doubting Venezuela’s sovereignty over the past 25 years have been met with immediate derision from senior government officials, including the president.—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The bird has long symbolized American values like strength, freedom and independence, said Kochersperger.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
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While Washington was private about his Anglican beliefs and a supporter of religious freedom for all faiths, Christian nationalists have been reviving the image, and with it, the claim that the US is an inherently Christian nation at its origin.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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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 21 May. 2026.
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