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
freewheeled; freewheeling; freewheels
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
John Timmer, Ars Technica, 10 Nov. 2018
Max Gao, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ (excuse me, Red Hots’) bassist Flea going on a beautifully freewheeling ode to Denny’s as a great communal unifier.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 13 May 2024
The Kimmel appearance — a freewheeling half-hour conversation that included guest spots from Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent — came hours after Dr. Dre's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where a cast of hip-hop royalty attended the iconic rapper-producer's star installation.
—Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2024
But the intergenerational dissonance is about more than Nigeria’s difficult road from military dictatorship to freewheeling democracy.
—Ebenezer Obadare, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2023
Google’s message board debate reflects long-simmering tension between Google’s opinionated employees and executives trying to tame the company’s sometimes freewheeling culture.
—Nico Grant, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024
That law has already transformed Hong Kong with authorities jailing dozens of political opponents, forcing civil society groups and outspoken media outlets to disband and transforming the once freewheeling city into one that prioritizes patriotism.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024
Gaetz, then a three-term congressman with a reputation for a freewheeling private life, appeared to have the impulse control of a teen-age boy.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
And Pitaro addressed the controversy surrounding Pat McAfee, the ESPN host who has occasionally found himself at the center of his own news cycle over comments made on his freewheeling daily show.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024
Noun
On the other side, the spokes meet the axle slightly off-center, while the gears (and the freewheel that allows them to rotate freely in only one direction) take up the space between there and the frame.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 10 Nov. 2018
Verb
The reveal adds surprising depth to a character who was introduced as a freewheeling womanizer.
—Max Gao, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ (excuse me, Red Hots’) bassist Flea going on a beautifully freewheeling ode to Denny’s as a great communal unifier.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 13 May 2024
The Kimmel appearance — a freewheeling half-hour conversation that included guest spots from Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent — came hours after Dr. Dre's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where a cast of hip-hop royalty attended the iconic rapper-producer's star installation.
—Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2024
But the intergenerational dissonance is about more than Nigeria’s difficult road from military dictatorship to freewheeling democracy.
—Ebenezer Obadare, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2023
Google’s message board debate reflects long-simmering tension between Google’s opinionated employees and executives trying to tame the company’s sometimes freewheeling culture.
—Nico Grant, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024
That law has already transformed Hong Kong with authorities jailing dozens of political opponents, forcing civil society groups and outspoken media outlets to disband and transforming the once freewheeling city into one that prioritizes patriotism.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024
Gaetz, then a three-term congressman with a reputation for a freewheeling private life, appeared to have the impulse control of a teen-age boy.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
And Pitaro addressed the controversy surrounding Pat McAfee, the ESPN host who has occasionally found himself at the center of his own news cycle over comments made on his freewheeling daily show.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freewheel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Freewheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freewheel. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
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