independence

¹ American  

[in-di-pen-duhns] / ˌɪn dɪˈpɛn dəns /

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.

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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.

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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)

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independence ² British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns /

noun

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

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Independence Cultural  

1. City in western Missouri.

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Related Words

See freedom.

Discover More

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

Other Word Forms

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

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

But Warsh during the hearing sidestepped the sharpest questions about independence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

Warsh insisted he would not be controlled by the president as he fielded questions on his assets and central bank independence during his confirmation hearing.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Tom Lee, managing partner and head of research at Fundstrat, told clients on Wednesday that there were four major takeaways from the hearing, with independence being the first.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

The Eritrean leader has ruled his country since it first gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, and has since consolidated power to create one of the world’s most repressive dictatorships.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

I moved around the neighborhood now with more independence, less tied to my parents.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

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