Independent meaning

What does “independent” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“independent” is a noun and adjective with 6 meanings. Its most common meaning is: a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics).

independent

a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics)
Synonymsmugwump fencesitter
a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
Synonymsfreelancer freelance free-lance free lance self-employed person

free from external control and constraint
“an independent mind”
“a series of independent judgments”
Oppositesdependent
(of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces
“an autonomous judiciary”
“a sovereign state”
Synonymsautonomous self-governing sovereign
(of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence
“the main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb”
Synonymsmain
Oppositesdependent
not controlled by a party or interest group

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University