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

The only other bottleneck would seemingly be the amount of computing needed to let the AI freewheel. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 June 2026

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

Verb

Jules, which first fired up its ovens in spring of 2025, is the hottest in the game right now with a freewheeling regional style. — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026

The novel has a freewheeling spirit that recalls Italo Calvino’s space fables in Cosmicomics. — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026

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
• genteel