unbeholden
adjective
un·be·hold·en ˌən-bi-ˈhōl-dən 
-bē-
: not having an obligation to someone : not indebted or beholden
In our age, for the first time, they could gain power themselves, unbeholden to tribal leaders for support.
Ernest Gellner
Ernest Gellner
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Ward, who focuses on cybersecurity investments for Insight, noted that China and Russia are able to operate more swiftly and uniformly, as authoritarian regimes unbeholden to the same rules and transparency required of the U.S. government. Rey Mashayekhi, Fortune, 1 Dec. 2021 Lamb’s status in news journalism has long been emeritus-like, unbeholden to ratings (as a nonprofit, the network has never been monitored by Nielsen) or shareholders. Nathan Taylor Pemberton, The New Republic, 26 June 2019 New Jersey’s governor, Phil Murphy, beat a Norcross ally in the primary for the Democratic nomination by first locking up the North Jersey party committees, making him largely unbeholden to Norcross, to Norcross’s fairly public consternation. Alex Pareene, The New Republic, 26 June 2019
Rey Mashayekhi, Fortune, 1 Dec. 2021 Lamb’s status in news journalism has long been emeritus-like, unbeholden to ratings (as a nonprofit, the network has never been monitored by Nielsen) or shareholders. Nathan Taylor Pemberton, The New Republic, 26 June 2019 New Jersey’s governor, Phil Murphy, beat a Norcross ally in the primary for the Democratic nomination by first locking up the North Jersey party committees, making him largely unbeholden to Norcross, to Norcross’s fairly public consternation. Alex Pareene, The New Republic, 26 June 2019 Word History
First Known Use
1674, in the meaning defined above