independent

/ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/

//ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"independent" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“independent” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #1,249. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,249
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free.

Corpus desk

Index EN-independent · independent · English

independent · rank #1,249 · 17 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #1,249
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH direction

Nearest frequency peer: direction (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “independent”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “independent” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

independent vs independently
85% similar
independent vs independence
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for independent
PropertyValue
Headwordindependent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#1,249
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “independent”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).independentlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “direction” (#1,248), “master” (#1,250), “defense” (#1,247). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “independent” is #1,249. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around independent (IPA /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #1,249 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for independent, with forms such as "idnependent", "inddependent", and "indeepndent". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "independently", "independence", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French indépendant, equivalent to in- + dependent. The correct English form is independent, spelled I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free.
  2. 2
    Not affiliated with any political party.
  3. 3
    Providing a comfortable livelihood.
  4. 4
    Not subject to bias or influence; self-directing.
  5. 5
    Separate from; exclusive; irrespective.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how independent appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. 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. the independent candidate

Etymology

From French indépendant, equivalent to in- + dependent.

Synonyms

autonomousfreeself-standingsubstantivecrossbencher

Antonyms

contingentdependent

This word in other languages

independiente(Español)indépendant(Français)unabhängig(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • idnependent
  • inddependent
  • indeepndent
  • indepednent
  • independdent
  • independennt
  • independentt
  • independetn
  • independnet
  • indepenednt
  • indepenndent
  • indepnedent
  • indeppendent
  • indpeendent
  • inedpendent
  • inndependent
  • nidependent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of independent - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

idnependent2inddependent1indeepndent2indepednent2independdent1independennt1independentt1independetn2
Edit distance from "independent"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "independent"?
"independent" is spelled I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/.
What does "independent" mean?
As an adjective, "independent" means: Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free.
What words are commonly confused with "independent"?
"independent" is commonly confused with "independently", "independence". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "independent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "independent" is /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "independent"?
From French indépendant, equivalent to in- + dependent. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "independent", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

opportunity#1,201competition#1,300established#1,336significant#1,129

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

interesting17 variantsenvironment17 variantsdevelopment17 variantsintelligence17 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list