freewheel

1 of 2

noun

free·​wheel ˈfrē-ˈ(h)wēl How to pronounce freewheel (audio)
: a clutch fitted in the rear hub of a bicycle that permits the rear wheel to run on free from the rear sprocket when the pedals are stopped

freewheel

2 of 2

verb

freewheeled; freewheeling; freewheels

intransitive verb

1
: to roll along freely independent of a gear
2
: to move, live, or play freely or irresponsibly
freewheeler noun

Examples of freewheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
On the other side, the spokes meet the axle slightly off-center, while the gears (and the freewheel that allows them to rotate freely in only one direction) take up the space between there and the frame. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 10 Nov. 2018
Verb
Parents who have immigrated to Norway sometimes struggle to accept the freewheeling Norwegian approach to child care, expecting more academics or structure, even for their youngest. Jackie Mader, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024 One of the strongest rebukes of the freewheeling council members came from the second Mayor Carter Harrison, whose father of the same name was assassinated as mayor in 1893. Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for freewheel 

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

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of freewheel was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near freewheel

Cite this Entry

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

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