Autonomous
Autonomous adjective - Not being under the rule or control of another.
Usage example: Native American nations are regarded as autonomous in many respects and thus not subject to a number of state and local laws
Independent is a synonym for autonomous in property topic. In some cases you can use "Independent" instead the word "Autonomous" as an adjective or a noun, when it comes to topics like dependence, separate, sovereign, chief. popular alternative
Independent
Independent adjective - Able to take care of oneself or itself without outside help.
Usage example: an independent young man who moved out of his parents' house while still a college student
Autonomous is a synonym for independent in self-governing topic. You can use "Autonomous" instead the word "Independent" as an adjective or a noun, if it concerns topics such as property, dependence, separate, sovereign. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- individual and autonomous
- individual and independent
- separate and autonomous
- separate and independent
- free and autonomous
- free and independent
- absolute and autonomous
- absolute and independent
- detached and autonomous
- detached and independent
- sovereign and autonomous
- sovereign and independent
- unconstrained and autonomous
- unconstrained and independent
Both words in one sentence
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However, Jinnah and the Indian Muslim League declare their loyalty to the British Raj and give the war effort their full support—their proposal of an independent or autonomous Indian-Muslim State (aka the modern nation of Pakistan) is taken seriously as a consequence.
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First Serbia became autonomous, then Greece independent, then Italy and Germany unified into single nations.
Source: Useful Notes / Bulgaria -
The Dalai Lama also said he wants Tibet to be autonomous rather than independent, and he's willing to compromise and gain status like that of Taiwan and Hong Kong with the Mainland.
Cite this Source
Independent and Autonomous. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/autonomous/independent
Autonomous & Independent. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/autonomous/independent>.
Independent or Autonomous. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/autonomous/independent.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "autonomous" and "independent" have occurred on timeline