independence

¹

[in-di-pen-duhns]

noun

1. Also the state or quality of being independent.

2. freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.

3. Archaic.,  a competency.

Independence

²

[in-di-pen-duhns]

noun

1. a city in W Missouri: starting point of the Santa Fe and Oregon trails.

2. a town in SE Kansas.

Independence

¹

/ ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns /

noun

1. a city in W Missouri, near Kansas City: starting point for the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails (1831–44). Pop: 112 079 (2003 est)

independence

²

/ ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns /

noun

1. Also called: independency. the state or quality of being independent

Independence

1. City in western Missouri.

Beginning of the Santa Fe Trail, used by settlers moving west.

Other Word Forms

• interindependence noun
• postindependence adjective
• preindependence noun
• superindependence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of independence¹

First recorded in 1630–40; independ(ent) + -ence

Synonym Study

See freedom.

Example Sentences

"It was just to get the taste of independence, a sort of practice run for living on your own," said Sophie Davies, 20, from Neath.

From BBC

Rebellious colonists skewered British taxation policies, military blunders and parliamentary pomposities through plays, songs and cartoons that rallied others to the cause of independence and made mass mobilization fun.

From Los Angeles Times

Congress wrote the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 intending to give the central bank board some independence from politics and the current president.

From Los Angeles Times

She said that Kennedy has “censored CDC science, politicized its processes and stripped leaders of independence” during his tenure.

From Salon

In the run-up to oil-rich Angola marking 50 years of independence from Portugal on 11 November, the demonstrations highlighted continuing concerns about poverty and inequality.

From BBC

Related Words

• ability 
• autonomy 
• self-determination 
• self-government 
• self-reliance 
• self-rule 
• self-sufficiency www.thesaurus.com
• separation 
• sovereignty