Independent
Independent adjective - Not being under the rule or control of another.
Usage example: finally they are an independent people, after centuries of domination by their more powerful neighbors
Subordinate
Subordinate adjective - (of a clause) unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence.
Independent is an antonym for subordinate.
Both words in one sentence
- While often allied or even subordinate to the Romans, they set up regional kingdoms and eventually become fully independent.
Source: Vestigial Empire - He's an attack dog subordinate with no independent thought, she's a true partner who complements Eve as part of a team.
Source: Literature / In Death - It is less a lack of control, as much as it is an independent streak and dependency on each other that make them partners, and not merely a subordinate.
Cite this Source
Subordinate and Independent. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/independent/subordinate
Independent & Subordinate. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/independent/subordinate>.
Subordinate or Independent. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/independent/subordinate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "independent" and "subordinate" have occurred on timeline