autonomy
autonomy — noun
1. the formal right of a country, region, or large organization to manage its own a
the formal right of a country, region, or large organization to manage its own affairs and pass its own laws, rather than being run by an outside government or higher authority.
Catalonia has long demanded greater autonomy from the Spanish central government in Madrid.
autonomy from + [authority]
The peace treaty granted limited autonomy to the northern provinces after twenty years of fighting.
grant autonomy to + [region]
Universities in Taiwan enjoy a high degree of autonomy in setting their own curriculum and tuition fees.
Hong Kong's autonomy under the "one country, two systems" framework has been hotly debated since 2020.
Local councils were stripped of their autonomy when the new prime minister took office.
- self-government
near-equivalent; often used for territories rather than organizations
- sovereignty
stronger — implies full and final political power, not just delegated authority
- home rule
historical or political phrase; specifically a region governing local matters within a larger state
- dependence
being controlled or financed by another body
- subjugation
stronger — being forcibly ruled by another power
文法句型
autonomy for + noun
grant/give autonomy to + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a country, region, province, university, or other large institution. Often paired with the adjectives 'full', 'partial', 'limited', 'regional', or 'political' to specify the scope.
常見錯誤
2. the freedom that a person, or sometimes a department or team, has to choose how
the freedom that a person, or sometimes a department or team, has to choose how they act, work, and live without being told what to do by other people.
Sven values the autonomy that comes with working from home three days a week.
autonomy as a benefit of [a working arrangement]
Many elderly patients fear losing their autonomy once they move into a care home.
lose + autonomy
The new manager gave her engineers more autonomy over which tools they used on each project.
Teenagers naturally start to push for more autonomy as they reach their final years of high school.
Doctors must respect a patient's autonomy when discussing treatment options, even if they disagree with the choice.
- independence
broader; can describe both personal and political freedom
- self-determination
more formal; emphasises the moral right to make one's own choices
- freedom
much wider in meaning; lacks the focus on decision-making
- dependence
relying on others to make decisions for you
- control
when others, not you, decide what you do
文法句型
autonomy over + noun
have/lose autonomy
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 by checking the subject: if it is an individual person (or a small team within a larger organization), this sense applies. Often appears in workplace, medical-ethics, and parenting contexts.