What does "autonomy" mean?
The right or condition of self-government; freedom to act or function independently.
Autonomy
/ɔːˈtɒn.ə.mi/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The right or condition of self-government; freedom to act or function independently.
- Grammar: autonomy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ability to cause change, absolute monarchy, act independently, agencies.
- Useful contrasts: academic federation, british control, bureaucratic rules.
- Usage evidence: If I borrow the money, I feel like I'll lose my autonomy.
How to use "autonomy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "autonomy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "autonomy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "autonomy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "autonomy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "autonomy" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ability to cause change" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "autonomy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The right or condition of self-government; freedom to act or function independently. uncountable
"But while assiduously dismissing any though of its own autonomy and proclaiming its victims its judges, it outdoes, in its veiled autocracy, all the excesses of autonomous art."
- 2 immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence wordnet
- 3 A self-governing country or region. countable
- 4 personal independence wordnet
- 5 The capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 The capacity of a system to make a decision about its actions without the involvement of another system or operator. uncountable
"...[T]he fact that a scientific theory finds applications to a wide variety of different phenomena does not imply anything about the autonomy of this theory from deeper physical laws."
- 7 The status of a church whose highest-ranking bishop is appointed by the patriarch of the mother church, but which is self-governing in all other respects. Compare autocephaly. uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
academic federationbritish controlbureaucratic rulescommunal tendency
Example
"If I borrow the money, I feel like I'll lose my autonomy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "autonomy"?
Common synonyms include: ability to cause change, absolute monarchy, act independently, agencies, agential role, agentiality.
How do you use "autonomy" in a sentence?
If I borrow the money, I feel like I'll lose my autonomy.
How do you pronounce "autonomy"?
Pronounced /ɔːˈtɒn.ə.mi/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek αὐτονομῐ́ᾱ (autonomĭ́ā, “freedom to use its own laws, independence”), from αὐτόνομος (autónomos, “living under one's own laws, independent”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, “-y, -ia”, nominal suffix). By surface analysis, auto- (“self”) + -nomy (“a system of rules or laws about a particular field”).