freedom

noun

free·​dom ˈfrē-dəm How to pronounce freedom (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being free: such as
a
: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b
: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : independence
c
: the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous
freedom from care
d
: unrestricted use
gave him the freedom of their home
e
: ease, facility
spoke the language with freedom
f
: the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken
answered with freedom
g
: improper familiarity
h
: boldness of conception or execution
2
a
: a political right
Choose the Right Synonym for freedom

freedom, liberty, license mean the power or condition of acting without compulsion.

freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.

freedom of the press

liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion.

the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty

license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom.

freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license

Examples of freedom in a Sentence

Or Bugs would do the impossible by jumping out of the frame and landing on the drawing board of the cartoonist who was at work creating him. This freedom to transcend the laws of basic physics, to hop around in time and space, and to skip from one dimension to another has long been a crucial aspect of imaginative poetry. Billy Collins, Wall Street Journal, 28-29 June 2008
I can see that my choices were never truly mine alone—and that that is how it should be, that to assert otherwise is to chase after a sorry sort of freedom. Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father, (1995) 2004
It's the beginning of summer.  … For many adults who are really closet kids, this means that their blood hums with a hint of freedom Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, 18 June 2001
He thinks children these days have too much freedom. She has the freedom to do as she likes. a political prisoner struggling to win his freedom
Recent Examples on the Web The desire to take control of their future and live with more freedom and flexibility is fueling a powerful shift. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 California The Menendez brothers spent decades fighting for freedom. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024 With just 11 days until the Nov. 5 election, Harris leaned into a cornerstone of her campaign: reproductive freedom. Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024 There are too many fans ogling rappers as racist, hypermasculine caricatures who don’t consider the anti-Blackness in demanding artists to live their raps at the expense of their life or freedom. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for freedom 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freedom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see free entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of freedom was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near freedom

Cite this Entry

“Freedom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freedom. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

freedom

noun
free·​dom ˈfrēd-əm How to pronounce freedom (audio)
1
a
: the state of being free : liberty, independence
b
: ability to move or act freely
c
: the state of being released from something usually unpleasant
freedom from care
d
: the quality of being frank or open
answered with freedom
e
: use without restriction
has the freedom of the house
2
: a political right

Legal Definition

freedom

noun
free·​dom
1
: the quality or state of being free: as
a
: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b
: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another
c
: the quality or state of being exempt or released from something onerous
2
a
: a political or civil right

More from Merriam-Webster on freedom

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