INDEPENDENT Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'independent' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of independent are autonomous , free , and sovereign . While all these words mean "not subject to the rule or control of another," independent implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies. // the colony's struggle to become independent

Q: Where would 'autonomous' be a reasonable alternative to 'independent'?

Although the words autonomous and independent have much in common, autonomous stresses independence in matters pertaining to self-government. // in this denomination each congregation is regarded as autonomous

Q: When can 'free' be used instead of 'independent'?

While in some cases nearly identical to independent , free stresses the complete absence of external rule and the full right to make all of one's own decisions. // you're free to do as you like

Q: When could 'sovereign' be used to replace 'independent'?

The synonyms sovereign and independent are sometimes interchangeable, but sovereign stresses the absence of a superior power and implies supremacy within a thing's own domain or sphere. // separate and sovereign armed services

independent

adjective

ˌin-də-ˈpen-dənt

Definition of independent

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the adjective independent contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of independent are autonomous, free, and sovereign. While all these words mean "not subject to the rule or control of another," independent implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies.

the colony's struggle to become independent

Where would autonomous be a reasonable alternative to independent?

Although the words autonomous and independent have much in common, autonomous stresses independence in matters pertaining to self-government.

in this denomination each congregation is regarded as autonomous

When can free be used instead of independent?

While in some cases nearly identical to independent, free stresses the complete absence of external rule and the full right to make all of one's own decisions.

you're free to do as you like

When could sovereign be used to replace independent?

The synonyms sovereign and independent are sometimes interchangeable, but sovereign stresses the absence of a superior power and implies supremacy within a thing's own domain or sphere.

separate and sovereign armed services

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of independent When aviation outgrew the Commerce Department, Congress consolidated oversight into a single independent agency in 1938 and then again in 1958 under the FAA, which moved quickly to strengthen air traffic management and safety rules. — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 And the last independent country in that land before modern Israel, the one Rome conquered, was--wait for it--a Jewish nation. — Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, long-running independent arthouse cinemas, known in Japan as mini-theaters, have been closing one after another, and the culture now survives mainly in Tokyo and other big cities. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 Viva Voce Size-inclusive fashion marketplace Viva Voce has named Good-Loop founder Amy Williams CEO as the company looks to scale its community of independent brands and shoppers. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for independent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for independent

Adjective

Why Uber Eats keeps putting robots on sidewalks Despite the controversy, companies continue investing in autonomous delivery because the technology offers some practical advantages.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
When vision keynotes and customer stories promise an autonomous future, but lived experiences don’t match up, trust fades.

— Chris Koehler, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of autonomous

Adjective

According to reporting by Semafor on Monday, the decision came after Wall Street executives privately raised safety concerns about attending the event with the event’s organizers, including Saudi sovereign fund PIF’s governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
However, when risk appetite wanes and political uncertainty mounts, foreign investors may rapidly rebalance portfolios, amplifying price volatility in sovereign debt markets.

— , CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of sovereign

Adjective

Netanyahu, who has close ties with politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties, has resisted attempts to end the exemptions.

— Josef Federman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
And that includes his warning that TV news has been corrupted by the agendas of the powerful, wealthy billionaires who now control a large portion of the media.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of powerful

Adjective

Davis’s letter follows a separate ethics complaint filed by a conservative watchdog group to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics over Slotkin’s University of Chicago remarks, first reported by the Washington Examiner on Tuesday.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
Ticketmaster also faces a separate lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and seven states.

— James LaForge, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of separate

Adjective

Instead, the island became self-sufficient, with the majority of residents managing their own farmland, with the island still bearing its patchwork quilt of stone walls and boundary lines.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
In general, the Strengthening Institutions Program seeks to help schools become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students.

— Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of self-sufficient

Adjective

His wife had grown up in neighboring Jeonju, one of South Korea’s great food cities, and the politics of the province—historically self-reliant and left-wing—agreed with him.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Pickpocketing is a safety concern for all tourists, but especially for solo travelers, who have to be completely self-reliant throughout their journey.

— Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of self-reliant

Adjective

Your best chance of spotting a whooping crane is along the Texas coast, where the world’s only self-sustaining wild population returns each winter after migrating from Canada.

— Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026
Feral populations spring up as result of these self-sustaining domestic animals fending for themselves.

— Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 17 June 2026

Definition of self-sustaining

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“Independent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/independent. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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