academic freedom

noun

: freedom to teach or to learn without interference (as by government officials)

Examples of academic freedom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And in January, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of professors arguing that California community colleges’ DEI policies infringed on academic freedom. Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025 Another by Hanover Research found more than 90% believe academic freedom is under threat. Mitch Picasso , Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025 That July version of the bill drew heavy opposition from a vast coalition of education groups, from teachers unions to school boards, civil rights advocates and Muslim community organizations, who feared censorship of pro-Palestinian voices and infringement upon academic freedom. Calmatters, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025 At both private and public colleges, professors’ work contracts – like the ones typically signed after receiving tenure – potentially provide legal protections for faculty speech connected to academic freedom, such as in the classroom. Jeffrey C. Sun, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for academic freedom

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of academic freedom was in 1863

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Cite this Entry

“Academic freedom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academic%20freedom. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

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