not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion, conduct, etc.; thinking or acting for oneself

an independent thinker.

not subject to another's authority or jurisdiction; autonomous; free

an independent businessman.

not influenced by the thought or action of others

independent research.

not dependent; not depending or contingent upon something else for existence, operation, etc.

not relying on another or others for aid or support.

rejecting others' aid or support; refusing to be under obligation to others.

possessing a competency

to be financially independent.

sufficient to support a person without his having to work

an independent income.

executed or originating outside a given unit, agency, business, etc.; external

an independent inquiry.

working for oneself or for a small, privately owned business.

expressive of a spirit of independence; self-confident; unconstrained

a free and independent citizen.

free from party commitments in voting

the independent voter.

Mathematics . (of a quantity or function) not depending upon another for its value.

Grammar . capable of standing syntactically as a complete sentence

an independent clause. Compare dependent def. 4 main 1 def. 4

Logic .

(of a set of propositions) having no one proposition deducible from the others.

(of a proposition) belonging to such a set.

Statistics . statistically independent.

( initial capital letter ) Ecclesiastical . of or pertaining to the Independents.

an independent person or thing.

a small, privately owned business

The conglomerates are buying up the independents.

Politics . a person who votes for candidates, measures, etc., in accordance with his or her own judgment and without regard to the endorsement of, or the positions taken by, any party.

( initial capital letter ) Ecclesiastical . an adherent of Independency.

British . a Congregationalist. ?

independent of

irrespective of; regardless of

Independent of monetary considerations, it was a promising position.

adjective

dependent , subordinate , subservient

adjective

absolute , autarchic , autarchical , autonomous , freewheeling , individualistic , nonaligned , nonpartisan , on one’s own , self-contained , self-determining , self-governing , self-reliant , self-ruling , self-sufficient , self-supporting , separate , separated , sovereign , unaided , unallied , unconnected , unconstrained , uncontrolled , unregimented , affluent , alone , autonomic , commutative , exclusive , free , irrespective , liberated , objective , substantive , undoctrinaire , unrestricted