# autonomous

/ɔˈtɑnəməs/ (US) · /ɔːtˈɒnəməs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/autonomous
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. independent person

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

acting or thinking independently without needing help or control from others.

For teachers: acting independently or having the freedom to do so; capable of making informed, uncoerced decisions.

- The university aims to help students become autonomous learners who can study on their own.
- The curriculum is designed to foster autonomous thinking, encouraging students to challenge established dogmas through rigorous independent research.

Usage: Frequently used in philosophy and psychology to discuss human agency.

### 3. self-operating technology

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

describes a machine or system, like a car, that can operate without a human driver.

For teachers: relating to a device or vehicle capable of sensing its environment and operating without human involvement.

- Many companies are testing autonomous cars that can drive safely through city traffic.
- The deployment of autonomous underwater vehicles has revolutionised deep-sea exploration by allowing for extended missions without the need for a support vessel.

Usage: Often modifies nouns like 'vehicle', 'drone', or 'system'.

### 4. linguistic subjectless form

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical · Academic

a special way of using a verb where the person doing the action is not named.

For teachers: referring to a verb form that indicates an unspecified agent, functionally similar to the passive voice but maintaining the theme as an object.

- In some languages, an autonomous verb form is used to say that something happened without saying who did it.
- The Irish autonomous form allows the speaker to focus on the action itself while leaving the agent entirely unspecified, distinct from the standard passive construction.

Usage: Specific to Celtic linguistics and certain grammatical frameworks.

## Examples

- The car has an autonomous driving mode.
- The university's research departments are largely autonomous, allowing them to manage their own budgets and hiring processes.
- While the regional government remains part of the federation, it has become increasingly autonomous in its handling of environmental policy and local taxation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.