Jump To:

• independence
  independence

  noun

  Also the state or quality of being independent.
• Independence
  Independence

  noun

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

independence

¹ American  

[in-di-pen-duhns] / ˌɪn dɪˈpɛn dəns /

noun

• independence
  plural

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 American  

[in-di-pen-duhns] / ˌɪn dɪˈpɛn dəns /

noun

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

2. a town in SE Kansas.

---

Independence ¹ British  

/ 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 British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns /

noun

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

---

Independence Cultural  

1. City in western Missouri.

---

Synonym Usage

See freedom.

Discover More

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• independence
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of independence

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

---

Explanation

Independence is the state of being free of the control of some other person, country or entity. Revolutions are all about obtaining independence, most famously perhaps the Revolutionary War in America, which led to America's freedom from Britain. Independence comes from a nice medieval French word, depenre, meaning "to hang from," or "to hang down." The in at the beginning is Latin for "not," so the word originally meant "not hanging from," which is a neat description of what countries achieve by throwing off their colonizers. Teenagers also commonly seek independence from their parents — but perhaps not financial independence.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

independence Independence

These changes can make everyday activities more difficult and gradually reduce mobility and physical independence.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

Sahrawis were meant to choose between independence and integration with Morocco.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Rules 5.4 and 5.6 aim to preserve lawyers’ independence and clients’ freedom to choose counsel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Joined by Guyanese Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Charles laid ceremonial wreaths on the graves of soldiers who fought for Britain before independence in a Georgetown cemetery.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

The Muscogees officially remained neutral during the settler war for independence.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

In Antigua and Barbuda, at a rally to mark the country's Independence Day, a sudden downpour left the King drenched, without an umbrella and looking momentarily cross.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

Optimism peaked around Independence Day, said McNally, who is a former energy adviser to President George W. Bush.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Year: 2014 Compiled by: Ben Blatt Of note: Every Declaration of Independence signatory is ranked here by how many square inches their name takes up.

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026

Stars twinkle in the sky above the Independence Monument in Kyiv’s main Maidan Square, a tall column topped by a statue of a woman in traditional Ukrainian dress.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

During the American Revolution, the author of the Declaration of Independence was elected governor of Virginia.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• ability
• autonomy
• self-determination
• self-government
• self-reliance
• self-rule
• self-sufficiency
• separation
• sovereignty

---