Independence
n.capable, hopefuleveryday
Meaning 1
The ability to make choices and manage life without unnecessary control or support.
Reach for it when celebrating self-direction while leaving room for chosen help and connection
The adapted kitchen gave Tomas greater independence at home.
Choose between these
4- everyday
release from restriction is the broad point
not when Freedom covers many liberties beyond independent control.
- warm
self-reliance
confidence in handling practical needs deserves praise
not when Self-reliance may wrongly suggest that accepting help is a weakness.
- professional
the power to choose and affect outcomes matters most
not when Agency can be exercised with extensive support, unlike full independence.
- professional
authority to make one's own decisions is central
not when Autonomy can exist within mutual dependence and does not imply self-sufficiency.
Meaning 2
Freedom of a country or institution to govern itself.
Reach for it when naming political or organizational self-rule
The museum marked the fiftieth year of the island's independence.
Choose between these
3- everyday
self-rule
a community governs itself in plain language
not when Self-rule describes political control, not everyday personal independence.
- formal
sovereignty
a state holds final governing authority
not when Sovereignty is political and too grand for personal capability.
- literary
elevated language should stress release from domination
not when Liberty can concern rights without practical capacity to act independently.
Said against
3- dependence
- subjection
- control
It naturally appears in
3- financial independence
A stable apprenticeship put financial independence within her reach.
- gain independence
Reliable transport helped older residents gain independence without isolation.
- declare independence
The territory voted to declare independence after months of negotiation.
Where this comes from
- Merriam-Webster, noun sense 1: freedom from outside control or support opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- Merriam-Webster, noun sense 2: political freedom from outside control opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.