independent

adj

1. Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free.

   “Niinisto pointed out that he had already told Putin at their first meeting in 2012 that “each independent nation would maximize its own security.” “That is still the case. By joining NATO, Finland will strengthen its own security and assume its responsibilities. It is not something away from anybody,” Niinisto said.”

2. Not affiliated with any political party.

   “the independent candidate”

   “Joe Biden is making a clear attempt to appeal to disaffected Republicans and independent voters in the final weeks of the election, promising he’d be a president that would work hard not just for those who support him, but also for those who do not.”

3. Providing a comfortable livelihood.

   “an independent property”

4. Not subject to bias or influence; self-directing.

   “a man of an independent mind”

5. Separate from; exclusive; irrespective.

   “That obligation in general, under which we conceive ourselves bound to obey a law, independent of those resources which the law provides for its own enforcement.”

noun

1. A candidate or voter not affiliated with any political party, a freethinker, free of a party platform.

   ““Independents opposed the bill by around a 3-to-1 margin … The KFF and Fox News polls – the ones with the fewest undecideds – showed 7 in 10 independents opposed it,” Blake wrote.”

2. A neutral or uncommitted person.
3. A small, privately owned business.

   “It’s a great hub for shopping: the high street is pedestrianised and many of the town’s 600-odd listed buildings house fabulous independents – speciality food stores, cafes, antique shops, clothing boutiques.”

4. A team not affiliated with any league or conference.
5. An individual, group, or church that operates outside the authority, structure, or dogma of established, hierarchical, or denominational bodies.
6. An individual governed by spiritual independence; self-governed under divine guidance rather than swayed by human opinions, mortal beliefs, or external influences.