independently

Everyday

1. On your own, without help from others. tree →
2. Separately; without being connected to or affected by something else. tree →
3. Of a country: ruling itself, not ruled by another country. tree →

In the lessons

At school: «Work independently» means do it by yourself without copying. In science: two scientists independently discovered the same thing. In maths and probability: independent events do not affect each other. Phrases: work independently, independently of.

Examples

• Please work independently for ten minutes. tree →
• She learned to read independently. tree →
• Two inventors independently came up with the same idea. tree →
• Each light works independently of the others. tree →
• My little brother can now dress independently. tree →
• The country has governed itself independently for many years. tree →
• The question is whether the method was adopted independently in Ireland, or was due to foreign influences. tree →

Note

From independent + -ly. Noun: independence. In maths, events that happen independently (two coin tosses) do not change each other's chances.