What does "independent" mean?
A candidate or voter not affiliated with any political party, a freethinker, free of a party platform.
Independent
/ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Very common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A candidate or voter not affiliated with any political party, a freethinker, free of a party platform.
- Grammar: independent is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: autonomous, abounding in riches, absolute, affluent.
- Useful contrasts: contingent, dependent, pious.
- Usage evidence: Certainly he is independent of him.
How to use "independent"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "independent" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "independent" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "independent" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "independent" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "independent" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "autonomous" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "independent", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A candidate or voter not affiliated with any political party, a freethinker, free of a party platform.
"“Independents opposed the bill by around a 3-to-1 margin … The KFF and Fox News polls – the ones with the fewest undecideds – showed 7 in 10 independents opposed it,” Blake wrote."
- 2 a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them wordnet
- 3 A neutral or uncommitted person.
- 4 a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics) wordnet
- 5 A small, privately owned business.
"It’s a great hub for shopping: the high street is pedestrianised and many of the town’s 600-odd listed buildings house fabulous independents – speciality food stores, cafes, antique shops, clothing boutiques."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A team not affiliated with any league or conference.
Adjective
- 1 Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free.
"Niinisto pointed out that he had already told Putin at their first meeting in 2012 that “each independent nation would maximize its own security.” “That is still the case. By joining NATO, Finland will strengthen its own security and assume its responsibilities. It is not something away from anybody,” Niinisto said."
- 2 Not affiliated with any political party.
"the independent candidate"
- 3 Providing a comfortable livelihood.
"an independent property"
- 4 Not subject to bias or influence; self-directing.
"a man of an independent mind"
- 5 Separate from; exclusive; irrespective.
"That obligation in general, under which we conceive ourselves bound to obey a law, independent of those resources which the law provides for its own enforcement."
Adjective
- 1 free from external control and constraint wordnet
- 2 (of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence wordnet
- 3 not controlled by a party or interest group wordnet
- 4 (of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Certainly he is independent of him."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "independent"?
Common synonyms include: autonomous, abounding in riches, absolute, affluent, agentic learning, ai-driven module.
How do you use "independent" in a sentence?
Certainly he is independent of him.
How do you pronounce "independent"?
Pronounced /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/.
Etymology
From French indépendant, equivalent to in- + dependent.