1
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another
the 20th century saw many African countries become free after many years of European rule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in liberated
no longer burdened with something unpleasant or painful
after our son arrived home safely, we were grateful to be free from worry
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3
as in loose
not bound, confined, or detained by force
all of the animals in the game preserve are free to roam all over its vast area
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4
as in costless
not costing or charging anything
although the museum normally charges admission, on Wednesdays it is free to all
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5
as in cleared
allowing passage without obstruction
make sure the pass is free before you attempt the trip through the mountains this winter
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6
as in generous
giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation
the lottery winner was very free with his money
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7
as in off
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
this computer terminal is free if you need to use it
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8
as in familiar
showing a lack of proper social reserve or modesty
she's a little too free with information about her social life
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9
as in single
not physically attached to another unit
an arrangement of free columns adds interest to the Greco-Roman sculpture garden
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1
as in to liberate
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
a global crusade to free Nelson Mandela from a South African prison had emerged
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2
as in to open
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions
we'll free the river by breaking up the ice jam
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3
as in to clear
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way
would you mind freeing up the work area so I can work?
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4
as in to rid
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers
a phone call would free your parents from worry
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5
as in to save
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
this plan should free us from debt
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of free
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
Separately, analyst Seth Seifman also expects a pull-forward in capital expenditures to support an acceleration in Textron’s MV-75 assault aircraft program to drag near-term free cash flow guidance lower.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
He was freed on supervised release in May 2020, but quickly broke that pledge, chowing down with his fellow Colombo gangsters at the legendary Brennan and Carr restaurant that November to discuss the crime family’s future, and their labor union shakedown scheme.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for free
Adjective
Tipping is a custom in America that has been built into the financial structure of the restaurant industry, which means that although it’s not required, to not tip means that someone else works for you for free.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
Separately, analyst Seth Seifman also expects a pull-forward in capital expenditures to support an acceleration in Textron’s MV-75 assault aircraft program to drag near-term free cash flow guidance lower.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
Verb
The client maintained compliance, escaped the software trap, and freed up resources for genuine innovation.
—CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
He was freed on supervised release in May 2020, but quickly broke that pledge, chowing down with his fellow Colombo gangsters at the legendary Brennan and Carr restaurant that November to discuss the crime family’s future, and their labor union shakedown scheme.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for free
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free
Adjective
-
Compute, sensors, steering, braking, and charging systems are all integrated into a unified autonomy stack rather than operating as independent subsystems.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Camera Cinemas — the independent outfit led by Jack NyBlom, Jim Zuur and Dennis Skaggs — came in, renovated and added four auditoriums and reopened in July 2002 with a combo of first-run blockbusters and independent movies.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The film was notable for its liberated portrayal of sexuality, including a famous scene of Bardot dancing, which also expanded the popularity of French cinema around the world.—
IndieWire Staff,
IndieWire,
28 Dec. 2025
-
And God Created Woman had a major impact on the liberated screen romances of the next decade, including those made by the French New Wave.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Like the neighborhood kids playing at the community pool, also from his 1975 series, a stop-you-in-your-tracks, sincere, insightful, nostalgic slice of life from before kids were on their devices all day, kids turned loose by parents to have fun and make friends IRL.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
No one has to urge him to dive for a loose ball, either.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What counts as a cleared sidewalk?—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Although parts of eastern Oklahoma saw several inches of snow Friday night, the totals were less than the most generous predictions that were made over the past few days.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 Jan. 2026
-
For one, a Biden-era repayment plan with extremely generous payment terms — which only encourages more high-risk borrowing — will go by the wayside, with borrowers moved into other existing plans.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
With Minnesota leading by four and 1 minute, 10 seconds to play, Edwards got lackadaisical in his off-ball defense while guarding Chicago’s most potent scorer, Coby White.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Regrouping after a long trek back Monday and an off-day Tuesday, Orlando focused on the fundamentals of the game on both ends of the court while reflecting on the time spent overseas and looking ahead to the second half of the regular season.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The contemporary influencer uses digital tools, but the underlying logic and space is familiar –the home, community, credibility, and peer-to-peer exchange remain central to how products circulate and how value is created.—
Paula de la Cruz,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
For decades, scientists have attributed these pulses of life to familiar forces – sunlight, winds, and ocean circulation.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Areas east of the I-35 corridor and parts of Northwest Texas recorded widespread snowfall totals of 6 to 8 inches, while DFW Airport measured 5 inches, its highest single-event snowfall in more than a decade.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
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This is personalized medicine at scale — without requiring hospitals to change a single line of code in their EMR systems.—
Sahar Hashmi,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Free.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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