1
as in autonomous
able to take care of oneself or itself without outside help
an independent young man who moved out of his parents' house while still a college student
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sovereign
not being under the rule or control of another
finally they are an independent people, after centuries of domination by their more powerful neighbors
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of independent
In North Carolina, only 29% of independent stages identified themselves as profitable in 2024, according to a report from the National Independent Venues Association.
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Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2026
Although the venue’s exact location within Victoria Park is yet to be finalized, early studies by an an independent panel suggested that the stadium would occupy between 12% and 13% of its land.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 7 Jan. 2026
Founded by abolitionists in 1865, The Nation has chronicled the breadth and depth of political and cultural life, serving as a critical, independent, and progressive voice.
—Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
The fast-growing independent news platform now embarks on an ambitious expansion of its editorial operations and high-level global convenings.
—Rachel Keidan, semafor.com, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for independent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for independent
Adjective
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This aerial view shows icebergs floating in the waters beaten down by the sun with buildings in the background off Nuuk, Greenland, on March 11, 2025, on the day of Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory, legislative elections.—
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The goal is to create autonomous digital twins capable of real-time engineering design and continuous optimization.—
Adjective
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And how is attacking Venezuela with impunity any different from any other dictator plundering sovereign countries?—
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The customer list reads like a who’s who of global enterprise, with Novo Nordisk, the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund — the world’s largest — plus Bridgewater, Stripe, and Slack, all running Claude at scale.—
Adjective
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Indescribable, illogical, and oh-so powerful belief.—
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Hellyer however noted that for now Iran’s powerful security establishment remains intact.—
Adjective
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The 25-year-old Chiefs receiver appears in a separate photo posted to the same Instagram account.—
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While donated blood is called whole blood, stewards of the blood supply will split and spin blood into separate bags with just red blood cells or with the plasma.—
Adjective
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With solar panels included, the tiny house becomes a self-sufficient micro-home, ready to roam wherever your adventures lead.—
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Some might be inclined to label Lee as an early cult leader, with her extreme views on sexuality, somatic-style worshipping rituals rooted in dance and song as well as her desire to build a self-sufficient, utopian community outside of mainstream society.—
Adjective
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The leaders of independent India, wary of inviting new forms of colonial domination, wanted to be self-reliant.—
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It's been very important to me to be strong and self-reliant, and to constantly be growing.—
Adjective
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The film’s plot is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy that Indians should be self-dependent to achieve their goals.—
Adjective
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For this, researchers from China have developed various next-generation triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), which offer a self-sustaining power solution for marine regions.—
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Leading to a self-sustaining economic loop where revenue generated from global-facing media products is reinvested directly into local wages, taxes, and services, fostering a stable foundation for multi-generational upward mobility.—
Cite this Entry
“Independent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/independent. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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