freehand

1 of 2

adjective

free·​hand ˈfrē-ˌhand How to pronounce freehand (audio)
: done without mechanical aids or devices
freehand drawing
freehand adverb

free hand

2 of 2

noun

: freedom of action or decision

Examples of freehand in a Sentence

Adjective She took a course in freehand drawing. Noun gave him free hand in managing the club
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
On set, 19-year-old artist Chella Man felt right at home in the second floor bathroom painted by Keith Haring; both Haring and Chella use a fluid, often abstract yet heavily emotive, freehand style to express themselves. Sean Bennett, Teen Vogue, 21 June 2018 And throughout, all kinds of brushes and tools enable an entire palette’s worth of colors to flow, stutter, twist, suffuse and fold, while freehand additions à la de Kooning — and Mr. Green’s earlier work, as well — occasionally flit about. New York Times, 16 Mar. 2017
Noun
Stretch your skin Use your free hand to gently stretch the skin taut, creating a smoother glide for the dermaplaning blade. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 22 Jan. 2024 Standing beside her daughter, Crawford hugged the Bottoms star with one arm and held a black purse in her free hand. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023 Everything can be operated with one hand, giving the user flexibility of their free hand as well. Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2023 Next, with your free hand, hold your skin taut while the other moves the device downward in short, precise motions. Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 Aug. 2023 Never verify the blade depth or position by feeling for it with your free hand; that’s a fast track to a nasty cut. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 10 Aug. 2023 Her flowy white shift dress featured a subtle ruffle pattern around the ankles, but still left plenty of room for her black sandals to make an appearance — which paired perfectly with the black mini purse the model was holding in her free hand. Averi Kremposky, Peoplemag, 17 July 2023 Parents should do their utmost to have two free hands when dealing with a toddler and a baby. Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2023 At the same time, radical ultra-nationalists – not only Prigozhin but also the military bloggers and correspondents reporting from the war zone – have been given a relatively free hand. Peter Rutland, Fortune, 25 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freehand.' 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

Adjective

1841, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of freehand was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near freehand

Cite this Entry

“Freehand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freehand. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

freehand

1 of 2 adjective
free·​hand ˈfrē-ˌhand How to pronounce freehand (audio)
: done without mechanical aids or devices
freehand drawing
freehand adverb

free hand

2 of 2 noun
: freedom to act or decide
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