autonomous vs self-directed

autonomous and self-directed both are adjectives.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
autonomous	No	Yes	No	No
self-directed	No	Yes	No	No

As adjectives, autonomous and self-directed are synonyms defined as:

autonomous and self-directed: (of persons) free from external control and constraint in e.g. action and judgment

Other synonyms of autonomous include self-reliant.

autonomous (adjective)	self-directed (adjective)
(of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces	(of persons) free from external control and constraint in e.g. action and judgment
(of persons) free from external control and constraint in e.g. action and judgment
existing as an independent entity