Meaning of independent in English
Table of contents
Pronunciation
/ˌɪndəˈpɛndənt/US accent
UK accent
to browse different examples of pronunciation.Classifying Adjective
independentDefinitions
1. not dependent on or conditioned by or relative to anything elseSynonyms
- 2. of political bodies
Examples
- « an autonomous judiciary »
- « a sovereign state »
Synonyms
- 3. not contingent
Synonyms
- 4. not controlled by a party or interest group
Synonyms
Noun
independentDefinitions
1. a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics)- 2. a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
Qualitative Adjective
independentEtymology
early 17th century (as an adjective): partly on the pattern of French indépendantDefinitions
1. free from external control and constraintExamples
- « an independent mind »
- « a series of independent judgments »
- « fiercely independent individualism »
- « an independent republic »
Synonyms
- autarkic
- autarkical
- autonomous
- self-directed
- self-reliant
- autonomous
- breakaway
- fissiparous
- separatist
- commutative
- free-living
- nonparasitic
- nonsymbiotic
- indie
- individual
- case-by-case
- item-by-item
- on one's own(p)
- on his own(p)
- on her own(p)
- on your own(p)
- on their own(p)
- self-sufficient
- self-sufficing
- self-sustaining
- self-supporting
- single-handed
- strong-minded
- unaffiliated
- unconditional
Antonyms
- 2. of a clause
Examples
- « able to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence »
- « the main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb »
Antonyms
Famous quotes
- « I guess you'd call me an independent, since I've never identified myself with one party or another in politics. I always decide my vote by taking as careful a look as I can at the actual candidates and issues themselves, no matter what the party label. » Jackie Robinson
- « In bourgeois society capital is independent and has individuality, while the living person is dependent and has no individuality. » Karl Marx
- « Most movies suck, even the independent ones. Hollywood is like baseball: Hit three good ones out of 10 and you're a Hall of Famer. » Denis Leary
- « It's very difficult to break into motion pictures, but it's oddly easier for directors today because of independent films and cable, who have inherited for the most part those films of substance that the studios are reluctant to finance. » Mark Rydell
- « Kids are a great analogy. You want your kids to grow up, and you don't want your kids to grow up. You want your kids to become independent of you, but it's also a parent's worst nightmare: That they won't need you. It's like the real tragedy of parenting. » Jonathan Safran Foer