Meaning & use
independent
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Governing or deciding for itself rather than being controlled by another person, group, company, or state.
Grammar: Often stands before a noun or after be/seem: an independent inquiry; the board is independent. It usually has no comparative in this political sense.
Patterns
- an independent country
- an independent investigation
- independent of outside control
The newspaper claims to be independent of any political party.
An independent auditor reviewed the accounts.
The colony became fully independent in 1962.
adjectivecomparable
Able to manage life, work, or money without needing regular help from others.
Grammar: Can take more/most when degree matters: more independent after college. Often followed by of: independent of her parents.
Patterns
- be independent of someone
- become more independent
- financially independent
She has been financially independent since her first job.
The course helps older adults stay independent.
He wants to be independent of his family’s support.
Word forms
| comparative | more independent |
|---|---|
| superlative | most independent |
Common combinations
- independent of
- The judges were independent of the sponsoring companies.
- financially independent
- Her goal is to become financially independent before thirty.
- independent research
- Independent research confirmed the safety findings.
- independent candidate
- An independent candidate joined the mayoral race.
Synonyms and how they differ
- autonomous
- More formal; often used for regions, institutions, or machines with self-rule.
- self-sufficient
- Focuses on providing for one’s own needs, especially food, money, or energy.
- unaffiliated
- Only says there is no official connection, not necessarily self-governing.
- free
- Broader and vaguer; independent is clearer for control and support.
Opposites
Word family
- independence noun
- The state of being independent.
- independently adverb
- Without outside control or help.
- depend verb
- To rely on someone or something; the related base behind independent.
Commonly confused: independent or dependable? independent or indifferent?
independent vs dependable
Dependable means reliable, while independent means not relying on others.
independent vs indifferent
Indifferent means not caring; independent concerns control or support, not interest.
Practice
Choose the natural completion: “The museum is independent ___ government funding.”
Choose one answer.
The fixed pattern is independent of, meaning free from control or support. From is tempting because independence from exists, but with funding sources the idiomatic adjective phrase is independent of.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “independent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.