liberate

verb

lib·​er·​ate ˈli-bə-ˌrāt 

liberated; liberating

transitive verb

1

: to set at liberty : free

specifically : to free (something, such as a country) from domination by a foreign power

2

: to free from combination

liberate the gas by adding acid

3

: to take or take over illegally or unjustly

material liberated from a nearby construction site

—Thorne Dreyer

liberator

ˈli-bə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

liberatory

ˈli-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Synonyms

• discharge
• disenthrall
• disenthral
• emancipate
• enfranchise
• enlarge
• free
• loose
• loosen
• manumit
• release
• spring
• unbind
• uncage
• unchain
• unfetter

Choose the Right Synonym for liberate

free, release, liberate, emancipate, manumit mean to set loose from restraint or constraint.

free implies a usually permanent removal from whatever binds, confines, entangles, or oppresses.

freed the animals from their cages

release suggests a setting loose from confinement, restraint, or a state of pressure or tension, often without implication of permanent liberation.

released his anger on a punching bag

liberate stresses particularly the resulting state of liberty.

liberated their country from the tyrant

emancipate implies the liberation of a person from subjection or domination.

labor-saving devices emancipated us from household drudgery

manumit implies emancipation from slavery.

the document manumitted the slaves

Examples of liberate in a Sentence

Rebels fought to liberate the country.

Soldiers liberated the hostages from their captors.

Laptop computers could liberate workers from their desks.

He was using materials that he had liberated from a construction site.

Recent Examples on the Web

To liberate all 430 generations of one’s family—paternal and maternal—requires $12,420 in Norway or the U.S., but just $2,280 in Sudan. —TIME, 4 Apr. 2024

The government loudly promised to liberate all Ukrainian territory, including land taken by Russia in 2014, and demanded reparations. —Branislav L. Slantchev, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024

Two planets in the Trigon Sector are already liberated, a third is at 91%. —Paul Tassi, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Ukraine is defending its sovereignty from Russian invaders, liberating its own territory and is fighting with the occupiers’ army and military targets, not civilians. —Guy Faulconbridge, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024

About 56,000 people died at Buchenwald before the camp was liberated in April 1945. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024

Related article Kherson was liberated over a year ago. —Ivana Kottasova, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024

In turn, Ukraine launched a series of successful counteroffensives that liberated roughly half the territory Moscow had taken. —Dominic Tierney, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2024

After the camp was liberated, memorial officials said the human remains were kept as evidence of the crimes committed. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin liberatus, past participle of liberare, from liber — see liberal entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

liberate

verb

lib·​er·​ate ˈlib-ə-ˌrāt 

liberated; liberating

: to set free

liberator

-ˌrāt-ər 

noun