independent

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/ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/
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Freedom from control or reliance sits at the core, extending to separate facts, fair outside judgment, unaffiliated political people, and small businesses or creators outside large organizations.
Practice using this word in conversation

Examples

  • In the experiment, light level was the independent variable.
  • Several independent studies reached the same conclusion.
  • The organization remains independent of government funding.
  • Online platforms helped small independents reach new customers.
  • The court relied on independent expert evidence.

Similar words

unlinked
fair
local business
nonpartisan candidate
free agent
standalone
standalone
independent producer
uncontrolled
detached

Meanings

Free from control or support

adjective
everyday
neutral
Able to act, govern, live, or operate without being controlled or supported by another person, group, or country.

Usage

Use independent for people, countries, organizations, or systems that are free to make their own choices or support themselves.

Examples

  • She became financially independent after college.
  • The island is now an independent nation.
  • The organization remains independent of government funding.
  • He raised an independent child who could solve problems alone.
  • The studio wanted to stay independent rather than join a larger company.
  • An independent power supply keeps the hospital running during outages.

Common mistakes

Independent from is possible in some political uses, but independent of is the usual phrase for freedom from support or control.
IncorrectCorrect
She is independent from her parents financially. She is independent of her parents financially.
The country became independence in 1960. The country became independent in 1960.
He lives independent now. He lives independently now.
The charity is independent by the government. The charity is independent of the government.

Similar words

autonomous
self-reliant
self-sufficient
self-governing
free
sovereign
uncontrolled
standalone

Separate and not affected

adjective
technical
neutral
Existing or changing separately, so one thing does not depend on, cause, or directly affect the other.

Usage

Use independent for separate facts, events, sources, or variables when one does not rely on another for its value or truth.

Examples

  • The test results were independent of the patient’s age.
  • In the experiment, light level was the independent variable.
  • The two witnesses gave independent accounts of the accident.
  • The alarms run on independent circuits.
  • The model treats the two events as independent.
  • Several independent studies reached the same conclusion.

Common mistakes

Independent with is usually the wrong preposition when showing separation between two things.
IncorrectCorrect
The result is independent with age. The result is independent of age.
These two events are independent to each other. These two events are independent of each other.
Temperature is the independence variable. Temperature is the independent variable.
The two sources are independent, so one copied the other. The two sources are independent, so neither copied the other.

Similar words

separate
unconnected
unrelated
distinct
unlinked
uncorrelated
standalone

Fair because separate

adjective
public life
neutral
Not tied to the people or organizations being judged, so an opinion, review, or decision can be trusted as fair.

Usage

Use independent for reviews, auditors, panels, experts, and media when their distance from the subject is what makes them credible.

Examples

  • The board ordered an independent review of the safety failure.
  • An independent auditor checked the company’s accounts.
  • The court relied on independent expert evidence.
  • The article appeared in an independent newspaper.
  • Residents asked for an independent investigation into the fire.
  • The panel must remain independent of the minister’s office.

Common mistakes

Independent and impartial overlap, but independent stresses separation from influence more than personal fairness.
IncorrectCorrect
The company wrote an independent review of itself. An outside auditor wrote an independent review of the company.
The judge was independent to both sides. The judge was independent of both sides.
We need an independently report. We need an independent report.
The newspaper is independent, but every story is paid by the campaign. The newspaper is not independent if campaign money controls its stories.

Similar words

impartial
unbiased
neutral
objective
disinterested
nonpartisan
fair
detached

Unaffiliated political person

noun
politics
neutral
A voter, candidate, or elected official who is not formally attached to a political party.

Usage

Use independent as a countable noun for a person in politics, often with an or in the plural independents.

Examples

  • An independent won the seat by a narrow margin.
  • Many independents disliked both major parties.
  • She ran as an independent after leaving the party.
  • The senator caucuses with one party but remains an independent.
  • Independents often decide close elections.
  • The debate included two party nominees and one independent.

Common mistakes

Independent as a political noun needs normal noun grammar, including an in the singular and independents in the plural.
IncorrectCorrect
She is independent in the election. She is an independent in the election.
Independent are voting in large numbers. Independents are voting in large numbers.
He joined the Independent Party, so he is an independent everywhere. He is an independent only if he is not formally tied to a party.
The independent won because the party nominated him. The independent won without a party nomination.

Similar words

unaffiliated voter
nonpartisan candidate
unaligned politician
free agent

Small unaffiliated business

noun
business
neutral
A business, trader, artist, publisher, or producer that works outside a large company, chain, or controlling organization.

Usage

Use independent as a noun for small shops, labels, producers, professionals, or creators when their lack of corporate control matters.

Examples

  • Local independents struggled when the chain opened nearby.
  • The festival gives space to independents in film and music.
  • She moved from a major label to an independent.
  • The shop is one of the few independents left on the high street.
  • Online platforms helped small independents reach new customers.
  • The distributor works with independents as well as national chains.

Common mistakes

Independent as a business noun can sound unclear unless the field is already obvious from context.
IncorrectCorrect
The independents sells better coffee. The independents sell better coffee.
She is an independent of music. She is an independent in music.
That restaurant is an independent party. That restaurant is an independent.
The film was made by a dependent independent. The film was made by an independent producer.

Similar words

indie
small business
local business
independent trader
independent producer

Usage

Use independent of for freedom from control, support, or influence. Use independently when the word modifies a verb, and use an independent only for a person or business used as a noun.

Common mistakes

Independent of is often replaced by weaker prepositions, and the adjective is often used where the adverb independently or the noun independence is needed.

Etymology

Formed from in-, meaning not, + dependent. It entered English in the early 1600s, partly on the model of French indépendant, first for churches and nations and later for people, politics, and unbiased judgment.

FAQ

What does independent mean?

Independent means free from control, support, or influence, or separate enough that one thing does not depend on another.

Is independent an adjective or a noun?

Independent is both. It is usually an adjective, but it can also mean an unaffiliated political person or a small unaffiliated business.

Should it be independent of or independent from?

Independent of is the usual choice for freedom from control, support, influence, or connection. Independent from is common with political separation and independence movements.

What is an independent in politics?

An independent is a voter, candidate, or elected official who is not formally attached to a political party.

What is an independent variable?

An independent variable is the variable treated as separate or controlled in order to see its effect on another variable.

What is an independent review?

An independent review is done by someone separate from the people or organization being judged, so the result is more credible.

What is the adverb form of independent?

The adverb is independently, as in The lab tested the samples independently.

What is the origin of independent?

Independent was formed from in- plus dependent, with influence from French indépendant, and has been used in English since the early 1600s.

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