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free speech
noun
: speech that is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
also
: the right to such speech
an unconstitutional restraint on free speech —Nat'l Law Jour.
Examples of free speech in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the arrest last month of the owner of the country’s largest media conglomerate has raised fears about the Nepali government’s commitment to free speech, and about whether the country is now going the way of its South Asian neighbors Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.
—Bhadra Sharma, New York Times, 3 June 2024
TikTok is now challenging the law in federal court, calling it an unconstitutional violation of free speech.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 2 June 2024
Union members authorized the strikes in mid-May, charging UC leaders with violating the free speech rights of members to speak out about their workplaces when police were called in to remove pro-Palestinian encampments or disperse protests at several campuses, resulting in arrests and suspensions.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
The First Amendment prohibits the government from infringing on free speech.
—John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for free speech
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'free speech.' 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
1765, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near free speech
Cite this Entry
“Free speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20speech. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
free speech
noun
: speech that is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
also
: the right to such speech
Legal Definition
free speech
noun1
: speech that is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
setting off an alarm bell is not free speech—A. M. Dershowitz
2
: freedom of speech
an unconstitutional restraint on free speech—National Law Journal
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