independent
in·de·pend·ent/ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/adjective, noun
independent is spelled I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T, 4 syllables: in·de·pend·ent. The wrong spelling people search most is independant: about 930 Bing searches a month in the United States (September 2025 to August 2026). Independent is an adjective meaning “Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free”.
How many letters and syllables are in independent?
| Letters | 11: I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: in·de·pend·ent |
| In writing | 85 times per million words; the 1,251st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | 4; the most searched, independant, about 930 Bing searches a month (all of them) |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026).
How do you spell independent?
Independent is spelled I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T. 4 wrong spellings are searched or written often enough to measure.
Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026). Wrong spellings are taken from Wiktionary entries tagged "misspelling" and its obsolete or nonstandard forms, Wikipedia's Lists of common misspellings and the codespell dictionary, then measured. The proofreader's marks show the change that corrects each one.
How common is independent?
Independent appears 85 times per million words in written English, the 1,251st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce independent?
- /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dənt/
Independent has 4 syllables, split in·de·pend·ent in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-independent.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of independent
- more independent comparative
- most independent superlative
- independents plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does independent mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free.
- 2
Not affiliated with any political party.
the independent candidate
- 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.
noun
- 1
A candidate or voter not affiliated with any political party, a freethinker, free of a party platform.
- 2
A neutral or uncommitted person.
- 3
A small, privately owned business.
- 4
A team not affiliated with any league or conference.
noun
- 1
An individual, group, or church that operates outside the authority, structure, or dogma of established, hierarchical, or denominational bodies.
- 2
An individual governed by spiritual independence; self-governed under divine guidance rather than swayed by human opinions, mortal beliefs, or external influences.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate independent?
Wiktionary records 4 abbreviations of independent: I, IND, Indep., ind..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Independent in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | indépendant |
| German | unabhängig, selbständig |
| Portuguese | independente , candidato/eleitor independente |
| Spanish | independiente |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does independent come from?
From Middle English independent, equivalent to in- + dependent. Compare French indépendant.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).