freewheel

1 of 2

noun

free·​wheel ˈfrē-ˈ(h)wēl 

: 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

Fortunately, freewheels are still being made by most major manufacturers, so replacing the one that's on there shouldn't be a problem. —New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025

Through a backpedal motion, the freewheel on the Utility S2 shift from one chain tension to another, high gear or low. —Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

Verb

Antisemitism online has also spiked in recent years, fueled by anger around the conflict between Israel and Hamas and enabled by a new freewheeling social media landscape where content moderation on sites like X and others has been loosened. —Matt Bradley, NBC news, 16 Dec. 2025

And while Trump is often at his most comfortable and freewheeling while on the stump, that can also lead to problematic soundbites. —Brett Samuels, The Hill, 14 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for freewheel

• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal
• cornmeal
• flywheel
• foveal