Autonomy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ȯ-ˈtä-nə-mē/ au·ton·o·my

Meaning & Definition of Autonomy

Autonomy (noun)

  1. the quality or state of being autonomous: as
  2. the quality or state of being independent, free, and self-directing; specifically, in Kantian philosophy, moral self-determination based on reason
  3. the quality or state of being self-governing; especially, the right of self-government

Autonomy (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: accord, choice, free will, self-determination, volition, will
    related: election, preference, selection, bent, devices, disposition, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, alternative, discretion, option, pick, way
    near: coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, force, pressure

  2. 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"

    similar: freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-determination, self-governance, self-government, sovereignty
    related: emancipation, enfranchisement, liberation, manumission, release
    opposite: dependence, heteronomy, subjection, unfreedom
    near: captivity, enchainment, enslavement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, subjugation

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Autonomy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Autonomy:

accord, choice, free will, self-determination, volition, will, freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-governance, self-government, sovereignty

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Autonomy

Words with the opposite meaning of Autonomy:

dependence, heteronomy, subjection, unfreedom

Related Words for Autonomy

election, preference, selection, bent, devices, disposition, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, alternative, discretion, option, pick, way, emancipation, enfranchisement, liberation, manumission, release

Near Antonyms of Autonomy

coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, force, pressure, captivity, enchainment, enslavement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, subjugation

Word Forms of Autonomy

Inflections: autonomies

Origin & Etymology of Autonomy

borrowed from New Latin autonomia, borrowed from Greek autonomía "self-governance, independence, licence," from autónomos "independent, autonomous" + -ia -y:2

First known use: 1591

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Autonomy

Frequently Asked Questions about Autonomy

What does "Autonomy" mean?

"Autonomy" means the quality or state of being autonomous: as. As a noun, it is defined as: the quality or state of being autonomous: as. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Autonomy"?

Other words for "Autonomy" include accord, choice, free will, self-determination, volition, will, freedom and independence. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Autonomy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Autonomy"?

There are 38 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Autonomy". Common alternatives include accord, choice, free will, self-determination, volition, will, freedom, independence, independency and liberty.

What is the opposite of "Autonomy"?

Antonyms of "Autonomy" include dependence, heteronomy, subjection and unfreedom. Near antonyms include coercion, compulsion, constraint and duress.

How do you use "Autonomy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Autonomy" in a sentence: "the director agreed to make the film only on the condition that she be given complete autonomy for the casting"; "finding the mother country's treatment of them oppressive and intolerable, the 13 British colonies made the momentous decision to seek autonomy".

Is "Autonomy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Autonomy" is a noun.

Is "Autonomy" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Autonomy" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Autonomy"?

"Autonomy" is pronounced /ȯ-ˈtä-nə-mē/ and divided into syllables as au·ton·o·my.