1. A habit or a principle of being independent and self-reliant: Brian was always trying to maintain his individualism by learning to make personal decisions for his life and not to be controlled by others.
2. A theory of socially favoring freedom of action for each person instead of a collective or a government control: Janine and her parents strongly felt that her individualism meant that she would have the freedom to decide which university she would go to and that she could choose the vocation that suited her without it being decided or determined by others.