Preposition: of

• observer: Systems neither exist independent of an observer nor imply a purpose.

• government: The self-regulatory system is funded by the industry, in order to be cost free to the public and independent of government.

• hardware: SGML supports an infinite variety of document structures and is independent of any specific hardware or software.

Preposition: since

• healthmatters: Non-profitmaking and independent since 1988 healthmatters is a member of INK, the Independent News Collective, trade association of the UK alternative press.

Modifying Another Word

• fiercely: For long these schools although sharing the same site were fiercely independent.

• financially: Our key aims are to help our customers become financially independent and help reduce child poverty.

• totally: The babies start eating within twenty four hours of birth and are totally independent of their mother at three weeks of age.

• completely: You think we must try to become completely independent?

• truly: And how many advisers are truly independent and original in their advice - rather than merely the beneficiaries of government patronage?

• entirely: But entirely independent of that, somebody else could have been in my place, for somebody had to occupy it.

Modifies a noun

• adviser: I was also press officer for the Essex Environment Trust and a leading independent waste adviser.

• living: Our primary aim is to promote independent living to the maximum for those people who choose to live here.

• advice: A lack of independent advice will lead to a loss of confidence in direct payments by service users.

• consultant: Neither of the independent consultants took part in this process.

• body: All postgraduate taught courses should be assessed by an independent body on a regular basis.

• retailer: Other findings were; Almost 25 % of independent retailers or their staff have been victims of violent crime at work.

Used with adjective complement

• remain: Headteacher may choose to be a governor or opt to remain independent.

• become: You think we must try to become completely independent?

• stay: We might join one of these or stay independent, that's really dependent on numbers.

• exist: Systems neither exist independent of an observer nor imply a purpose.