independence
(ɪndɪpendəns )
1. uncountable noun B2
If a country has or gains independence, it has its own government and is not ruled by any other country.
In 1816, Argentina declared its independence from Spain. [+ from]
...the country's first elections since independence in 1962.
Synonyms: freedom, liberty, autonomy, separation
2. uncountable noun [oft poss NOUN] B2
Someone's independence is the fact that they do not rely on other people.
He was afraid of losing his independence.
...a woman's independence, capability, and power.
Synonyms: self-sufficiency, self-reliance, self-sustenance
Image of independence
© Nagel Photography / Shutterstock.com, Shutterstock
Quotations:
A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude after our own; but the great man is he who, in the midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude`Self-Reliance'
He travels the fastest who travels aloneThe Story of the Gadsbys
Collocations:
editorial independence grant independence independence referendum independence struggle intellectual independence judicial independence maintain independence national independence operational independence political independence regain independence reject independence respect the independence of seek independence spirit of independence undermine the independence of vote for independence win independence
A BBC spokeswoman said:'The BBC's editorial independence is protected by our Royal Charter and is highly valued by the public'.
The Sun (2014)
The company has declined, saying it would not compromise its editorial independence.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He went on to stress the importance of editorial independence.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Most of Britain's smaller colonies have since been granted independence.
Twentieth Century History - Basic Facts (1985)
When India was granted independence in 1948 he returned to London.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The British experienced relatively little violence before granting independence to its colonies, accepting the days of empire were over.
The Sun (2015)
It was the political circus that neither side in the Scottish independence referendum campaign wanted to roll into town.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They both want the same thing from the Scottish independence referendum too.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I thought of that song often during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Played prominent role in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
For that to happen there must be independent oversight of an independence referendum.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Indeed, it drew its lessons from the independence struggle.
Times, Sunday Times
They were driven by a mixture of loyalty for the party's role in the independence struggle and fear of retribution if they voted otherwise.
Times, Sunday Times
He had led the independence struggle and served as premier, but was now fatigued.
The Times Literary Supplement
He witnessed and participated in the country's independence struggle as a student activist.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The party played a role in the independence struggle of the country.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He was a fierce upholder of factual inquiry and intellectual independence.
Times, Sunday Times
In such groups, he could preserve his intellectual independence while still feeling himself to be on the right side of history.
The Times Literary Supplement
All these large and smaller works showed him as a commentator of great intellectual independence.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
For many years the foundation has maintained that involving undergraduates in research develops critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and intellectual independence, and promotes an innovation-oriented culture.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The group works to defend human rights by protecting judicial independence around the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We are concerned for the loss of judicial independence.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They raised concerns that dealing with privatised probation services compromises their judicial independence.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The three things that we need to flourish and maintain independence in the economic sense are work, family and savings.
Times, Sunday Times
He's organising pre-emptive surgery for continence, so he can maintain independence longer.
Times, Sunday Times
He stressed that articles were written separately to click-through links to maintain independence, and links were only added later.
Times, Sunday Times
It allows patients to maintain independence, prevent complications, and minimize personal costs.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
By endeavouring to maintain independence and objectivity and allowing their writers' credentials and site ethos to be scrutinised, such sites avoid many of the above-mentioned criticisms aimed at user-review sites.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
It costs too much and it denies us true national independence.
The Sun
It was also an insult to our national independence.
Times, Sunday Times
The lofty ideals of national independence, when translated into politics, thus meet geographical limits.
Times, Sunday Times
This narrative of colonial resistance and national independence might speak positively to ordinary people throughout the world.
The Times Literary Supplement
The great opportunity will be to expand it to include countries that will not compromise their national independence, but would co-operate in the creation of a common economic space.
Times, Sunday Times
The Education Secretary has given operational independence to most of Britain's schools.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Equally of concern should be the threat to the operational independence of the police.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This need not compromise their operational independence.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Displays of intellectual and political independence in the legislature are not merely unwelcome but invariably result in dismissal from the list later.
Times, Sunday Times
How far has any country mired in debt already surrendered chunks of its political independence?
Times, Sunday Times
For a start, it will be necessary to re-establish the political independence of the office.
Times, Sunday Times
It means economic and political independence.
Times, Sunday Times
They campaigned for better wages and working conditions, the transformation of the colonial system and political independence for the colonies.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
She called herself broken, but in her determination to regain independence was clearly, as per the title, unbreakable.
Times, Sunday Times
The center provides survivors of acute brain injury with rehabilitation services needed to help patients overcome their injuries and regain independence.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Labor unions, which have undergone periods of militancy and quiescence, reemerged as a force in 1998 when they regained independence from the government.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
They regained independence under one of the many military reorganisation plans of the mid-late 1990s.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
All three nations had similar experiences of occupation and similar aspirations for regaining independence.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Scotland voted to stay in the UK, with 55 % of the country rejecting independence in its referendum.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Some 48 per cent said they would reject independence while 42 per cent back it.
The Sun (2014)
Two years ago he called for Scotland to reject independence.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And they must respect the independence of the judiciary.
Times, Sunday Times
I am very anxious to respect the independence, autonomy and discretion of judges.
Times, Sunday Times
Ask them to respect your independence.
The Sun
Agree a routine to keep in touch, but respect their independence.
Times, Sunday Times
The Dalai Lama has long said that he does not seek independence for his homeland but genuine autonomy within China.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Still, his memory inspired future nationalists to seek independence in Ghana, Tanzania, and elsewhere.
Christianity Today (2000)
This is the one and only reason they seek independence.
The Sun (2014)
You have a spirit of independence and belief in your futuristic ideas.
The Sun
Fiery enthusiasm and a spirit of independence flow through your chart.
The Sun
Innovative ideas and a spirit of independence can change so much about your world - in a good way.
The Sun
Genius-level ideas and a spirit of independence help you to break free from routine and agree to all that's new and out of the ordinary.
The Sun
You have a spirit of independence and self-belief that helps you get on with plans instead of being concerned with other people's opinions.
The Sun
He was particularly concerned that commission paid to advisers could undermine the independence of advice.
Times, Sunday Times
The board's statutory obligation was more nuanced and complex than merely to consider whether the scheme was likely to undermine the independence of the advocate.
Times, Sunday Times
The service was condemned variously as unfair competition, a waste of legal aid funds and a conspiracy to undermine the independence of defence lawyers.
Times, Sunday Times
To achieve this, governments would have to wholly undermine the independence of central banks.
Times, Sunday Times
It added that it was not trying to undermine the independence of the board.
Times, Sunday Times
Using her criteria, all 32 regions would have to vote for independence.
The Sun
Despite sterling's gain, investors continued to buy protection against a vote for independence next week.
Times, Sunday Times
In the short-term, a vote for independence would be followed by turbulence.
Times, Sunday Times
Only vote for independence if you really want to be different.
Times, Sunday Times
The prime minister has previously 'emphatically' rejected calls to quit in the event of a vote for independence.
Times, Sunday Times
It won independence in 1776 after a six-year war.
The Sun
Given it had won independence only in 2011, it had no experience of running a nation.
Times, Sunday Times
It was the first time since the two countries won independence in 1947 that a prime minister from one state attended such a ceremony in the other.
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Translations:
Chinese: 独立
Japanese: 独立