independent

adjective

in·de·pen·dent | \ ˌin-də-ˈpen-dənt

Definition of independent

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : not dependent: such as

a(1) : not subject to control by others : self-governing

(2) : not affiliated with a larger controlling unit an independent bookstore

b(1) : not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent an independent conclusion

(2) : not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct

(3) : not bound by or committed to a political party

c(1) : not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood) independent of her parents

(2) : being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living a person of independent means

d : showing a desire for freedom an independent manner

e(1) : not determined by or capable of being deduced or derived from or expressed in terms of members (such as axioms or equations) of the set under consideration especially : having linear independence an independent set of vectors

(2) : having the property that the joint probability (as of events or samples) or the joint probability density function (as of random variables) equals the product of the probabilities or probability density functions of separate occurrence

2 capitalized : of or relating to the Independents

3a : main sense 5 an independent clause

b : neither deducible from nor incompatible with another statement independent postulates

independent

noun

Definition of independent (Entry 2 of 2)

1 capitalized : a sectarian of an English religious movement for congregational autonomy originating in the late 16th century, giving rise to Congregationalists, Baptists, and Friends, and forming one of the major political groupings of the period of Cromwell

2 : one that is independent especially, often capitalized : one that is not bound by or definitively committed to a political party

Other Words from independent Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about independent

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Choose the Right Synonym for independent

Adjective

free, independent, sovereign, autonomous mean not subject to the rule or control of another. free stresses the complete absence of external rule and the full right to make all of one's own decisions. you're free to do as you like independent implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies. the colony's struggle to become independent sovereign stresses the absence of a superior power and implies supremacy within a thing's own domain or sphere. separate and sovereign armed services autonomous stresses independence in matters pertaining to self-government. in this denomination each congregation is regarded as autonomous

Examples of independent in a Sentence

Adjective

The country recently became independent. They have a good deal of independent authority. She has an independent income. Another laboratory has provided independent confirmation of the test results. She is a very independent person. She has an independent mind. They lead an independent life.

Noun

She registered to vote as an Independent.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

These things won't be independent to Gillibrand, however—most Democratic candidates in 2020 will seek some kind of single-payer federal health reform. — Jenny Hollander, Marie Claire, "This Is What Kirsten Gillibrand's Platform Is Expected to Look Like," 16 Jan. 2019 Its drivers continue to lose important legal battles challenging their classification as independent contractors, but major markets like New York City are rewriting the rules to improve working conditions for drivers. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "The Verge 2018 tech report card: Uber," 29 Dec. 2018 Last-minute scheduling, no-poaching and noncompete clauses, and the use of independent contractors are popular tactics that put workers at a disadvantage. — Patricia Cohen, BostonGlobe.com, "Paychecks lag as profits soar, and prices erode wage gains," 14 July 2018 And so powerful is the symbolism on either side that Strzok is likely to remain a political Rorschach test on the Russia investigation as long as the independent special counsel investigation into the Trump campaign and Russia connections exists. — Amber Phillips, Washington Post, "Peter Strzok, the symbol of whatever you want him to be in the Russia investigation," 13 July 2018 Meanwhile, the independent charity Crimestoppers is offering a £50,000 reward for any information leading to a conviction of the drone operators. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "We Still Know So Alarmingly Little About How a Drone Shut Down an Airport for Two Days," 3 Jan. 2019 Many have independent housing through homes or apartments, assisted living, and nursing care, all in the same location. — Korin Miller, SELF, "6 Different End-of-Life Care Options to Know if You or a Loved One Is Sick," 18 Dec. 2018 Amazon also has greater leeway to curb CRaP items because of the rise of independent sellers on its site. — Annie Gasparro, WSJ, "Amazon Targets Unprofitable Items, With a Sharper Focus on the Bottom Line," 16 Dec. 2018 The feature is currently being tested in Thailand, where a community of independent sellers have recently taken to Facebook Live to sell a variety of products, from cosmetics to handbags and other fashion items. — Natt Garun, The Verge, "Facebook is testing a shopping mode for live-streamers," 6 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Ivanka’s stock went up, and she was widely perceived as someone who could tailor her father’s bluster into a message that younger women, moderates, and independents could get behind. — Celeste Katz, Glamour, "Ivanka Trump's Curious Absence From the Midterm Campaign Trail," 29 Oct. 2018 And nobody reports on the independents or the undecided. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Full Q&A: ‘Will & Grace’ co-star Sean Hayes on Recode Decode," 22 Oct. 2018 This solar plant in Chernobyl should help make the country a bit more energy-independent. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Chernobyl Has a New Power Plant, But This Time It's Solar," 9 Oct. 2018 Brands such as Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis, and Ritz-Carlton dot the landscape, joined by motivated independents like Stonehurst Place, where original Warhols hang above 19th-century fireplaces. — Allison Weiss Entrekin, Condé Nast Traveler, "14 Best Hotels in Atlanta," 27 July 2018 Support for the death penalty has fallen over the past two decades, though the shift in opinion is concentrated among Democrats and independents. — Hannah Fingerhut, The Christian Science Monitor, "Poll: Americans have relatively high confidence in Supreme Court," 10 July 2018 This goes for Republicans, Democrats and independents. — Rich Exner, cleveland.com, "Ohio Issue 1 Q&A: congressional redistricting and the ills of gerrymandering - Election preview," 3 May 2018 The targets for the Espy campaign are moderate and business-minded Republicans and independents who might be turned off by Hyde-Smith’s embrace of President Trump. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "The Mississippi Senate runoff, Dems’ last chance for one more 2018 upset, explained," 20 Nov. 2018 Democrats and independents feared that Walker, even with his low approval ratings, would split votes with Begich, which would allow Dunleavy to win with well under 50 percent of the vote. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "Mike Dunleavy elected governor of Alaska: rare 2018 pickup for Republicans," 7 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'independent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.