Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If a country has or gains ~, it has its own government and is not ruled by any other country.
In 1816, Argentina declared its ~ from Spain.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
Someone’s ~ is the fact that they do not rely on other people.
He was afraid of losing his ~.
N-UNCOUNT: oft poss N