a free hand
noun
: the freedom to do things and make decisions without being controlled by another
Her father gave her a free hand in running the family business.
Examples of a free hand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On the more remote east coast and in the far north, colonization took root more slowly, leaving explorers such as American Robert Peary and traders such as Danish-Greenlandic Knud Rasmussen a free hand to employ and trade with local people.
—
Genevieve Lemoine, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
In practice, this meant a free hand was given to the tech sector, with regulations either conspicuously absent or curiously facilitating.
—Nick Srnicek, Wired News, 14 Jan. 2026
More often than not, Israel had a free hand, and effective U.S. military protection against the Iranian attack may have given Israel greater confidence to launch riskier operations in later months.
—Andrew P. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
With the 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court that legalized payoffs to politicians, anti-competitive collusion and price-fixing was given a free hand.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2025
Still, Republicans are more inclined to give Trump a free hand.
—Jason Lange, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Even so, even in places where Democrats have a free hand to do their own shenanigans, such as Oregon and Illinois, there aren’t many districts that haven’t already been designed to their advantage.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Aug. 2025
But our democracy can only be enhanced by an information source that operates with a free hand, unencumbered by the bottom line of profitability.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2025
But over all, historically, America has given Israel quite a free hand vis-à-vis the Palestinians.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
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Genevieve Lemoine, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
In practice, this meant a free hand was given to the tech sector, with regulations either conspicuously absent or curiously facilitating.
—Nick Srnicek, Wired News, 14 Jan. 2026
More often than not, Israel had a free hand, and effective U.S. military protection against the Iranian attack may have given Israel greater confidence to launch riskier operations in later months.
—Andrew P. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
With the 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court that legalized payoffs to politicians, anti-competitive collusion and price-fixing was given a free hand.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2025
Still, Republicans are more inclined to give Trump a free hand.
—Jason Lange, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Even so, even in places where Democrats have a free hand to do their own shenanigans, such as Oregon and Illinois, there aren’t many districts that haven’t already been designed to their advantage.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Aug. 2025
But our democracy can only be enhanced by an information source that operates with a free hand, unencumbered by the bottom line of profitability.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2025
But over all, historically, America has given Israel quite a free hand vis-à-vis the Palestinians.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“A free hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20free%20hand. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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