SINCE 1828
free
adjective
\ ˈfrē
\
\
freer;
freest
Definition of free
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: not costing or charging anything
a free school a free ticket
2a
: having the legal and political rights of a citizen
setting the slave free
b
: enjoying civil and political liberty
free citizens
c
: enjoying political independence or freedom from outside domination
This is a free country.
d
: enjoying personal freedom : not subject to the control or domination of another
You are free to do whatever you want.
3a
: not determined by anything beyond its own nature or being : choosing or capable of choosing for itself
a player free to negotiate a contract with any team
b
: determined by the choice of the actor or performer
free actions
c
: made, done, or given voluntarily or spontaneously
gave his free consent
4a
: relieved from or lacking something and especially something unpleasant or burdensome
free from pain a speech free of political rhetoric
—often used in combination error-free
b
: not bound, confined, or detained by force
The prisoner is now free.
5a
: having no trade restrictions
duty-free imports
b
: not subject to government regulation
free competition
c
of foreign exchange
: not subject to restriction or official control
6a
: having no obligations (as to work) or commitments
I'll be free this evening
b
: not taken up with commitments or obligations
a free evening
7
: having a scope not restricted by qualification
a free variable
8a
: not obstructed, restricted, or impeded
free to leave
b
: not being used or occupied
waved with his free hand
c
: not hampered or restricted in its normal operation
9a
: not fastened
the free end of the rope
b
: not confined to a particular position or place
in twelve-tone music, no note is wholly free for it must hold its place in the series— J. L. Stewart
c
: capable of moving or turning in any direction
a free particle
d
: performed without apparatus
free tumbling
e
: done with artificial aids (such as pitons) used only for protection against falling and not for support
a free climb
10a
: not parsimonious
free spending
b
: outspoken
is free in his criticism
c
: availing oneself of something without stint
she's very free with her money
e
: overly familiar or forward in action or attitude
a young man who had been much too free with the ladies of the town— Harvey Graham
f
: licentious
inexcusably free talk before the ladies
11a(1)
: not united with, attached to, combined with, or mixed with something else : separate
free ores a free surface of a bodily part
(2)
: freestanding
a free column
b
: chemically uncombined
free oxygen free acids
c
: not permanently attached but able to move about
a free electron in a metal
d
: capable of being used alone as a meaningful linguistic form
the word hats is a free form
— compare bound entry 5 sense 7
12a
: not literal or exact
free translation
b
: not restricted by or conforming to conventional forms
free skating
13
: favorable
—used of a wind blowing from a direction more than six points from dead ahead
14
: not allowing slavery
was admitted to the Union as a free state
15
: open to all comers
that most pleasurable of Anglo-Saxon pastimes, a free fight— Winston Churchill
for free
: without charge
free
adverbDefinition of free (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: in a free manner
2
: without charge
3
: with the wind more than six points from dead ahead
sailing free
free
verb
freed;
freeing
Definition of free (Entry 3 of 3)
1a
: to cause to be free
b
: to relieve or rid of what restrains, confines, restricts, or embarrasses
free a person from debt
—often used with up free up space on the hard drive
c
: disentangle, clear
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from free
Adjective
freeness
\ ˈfrē-nəs
\
noun
\
noun
Verb
freer
noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for free
Synonyms: Adjective
autonomous, freestanding, independent, self-governed, self-governing, self-ruling, separate, sovereign (also sovran)
Synonyms: Verb
discharge, disenthrall (also disenthral), emancipate, enfranchise, enlarge, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, release, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter
Antonyms: Adjective
dependent, nonautonomous, non-self-governing, subject, unfree
Antonyms: Verb
bind, confine, enchain, fetter, restrain
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of free in a Sentence
Adjective
They're giving out free tickets to the show. The school newsletter is free. After 10 years in jail, he was finally a free man. The animal struggled to get free of the trap. His legs became caught in the net, and he was unable to get himself free.Adverb
The gate opened, and the animals ran free. Buy one, get one free.Verb
The gunman freed two of the hostages. The animals were freed from their cages. His legs became tangled in the net, and he was unable to free himself. He was unable to free his legs from the net. The animal struggled to free itself from the trap. Hiring an assistant has freed him to spend more time with his family. She encourages her students to free their imaginations.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Call it a domino effect: ever since fashion labels have begun embracing fur-free collections, celebrities have been spotted wearing more and more faux fur pieces, too. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Bella Hadid Does Faux Fur the Supermodel Way," 6 Feb. 2019 Aveeno and Olay sell a range of oil-free acne washes that would definitely do the trick. — Janell M. Hickman, Seventeen, "5 Life-Changing Skincare Tricks Women of Color Need To Know," 4 Feb. 2019 Room & Board has created a hassle-free way to achieve the look in your home without having to hardwire the fixture into the ceiling (or without paying someone else to do it). — Maya Mcdowell, House Beautiful, "This Mount Turns Any Pendant Light Into a Plug-In Lamp," 30 Jan. 2019 On Tuesday, Nvidia fulfilled its CES promises by releasing GeForce driver 417.71, which lets GeForce graphics cards tap into the Adaptive Sync capabilities of AMD FreeSync monitors for buttery-smooth, tearing-free gaming. — Brad Chacos, PCWorld, "Nvidia driver unlocks FreeSync monitor support for GeForce graphics cards," 15 Jan. 2019 The entire cruelty-free line is currently available exclusively at CVS, and will go live on Wet n Wild’s website on January 14. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Wet-n-Wild Announces Gym-Inspired Collection, Pump," 6 Jan. 2019 Both options deliver an ad-free reading experience, full-text RSS feeds, clean-reading mode, freedom from tracking scripts, and access to our subscriber-only forums. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "Talk amongst yourselves: 2018’s most-commented stories on Ars," 24 Dec. 2018 The rewards include cash back on fuel purchases, discounts on vehicle maintenance, and free 24/7 roadside assistance. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "Uber will start rewarding high-performing drivers with better earnings and free college tuition," 1 Nov. 2018 Not only are the building’s public areas furnished by Minotti, but also the individual residences—right down to Minotti Cucine kitchens and free interior design services for residents. — Samantha Swenson, ELLE Decor, "Just Outside Miami, New Development 2000 Ocean Is Redefining Luxury, One Minotti Furnishing at a Time," 18 Jan. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
Most of the stores offer general merchandise but some are free-standing pharmacies or optical services locations. — Becky Yerak, WSJ, "Retailer Shopko Enters Chapter 11 Bankruptcy," 16 Jan. 2019 The last one features a $4,700 free-standing tub from Kohler as the centerpiece of the post, which was sponsored by the kitchen-and-bath brand. — Elisa Lipsky-karasz, WSJ, "Gwyneth Paltrow Wants to Convert You," 4 Dec. 2018 Just as important, though, is the fact that Mr. Sondheim is and has always been a theatrical composer, not a creator of free-standing songs. — Terry Teachout, WSJ, "Learning to Love Stephen Sondheim," 28 Nov. 2018 Curved stone walls, a free-standing cone fireplace, and a circular kitchen island add to the midcentury-modern style. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Midcentury honeymoon crash pad of Elvis and Priscilla Presley wants $3.2M," 16 Oct. 2018 With 99 percent of the Pantanal privately owned by ranches, free-ranging cattle are gobbling up all the natural grass. — Adam Popescu, National Geographic, "These Fish Keep Forests Alive—And Fishing Threatens Them," 12 June 2018 Some dispute the number but wildlife experts agree that free-roaming cats can do serious damage, especially to sensitive ecosystems. — Patty Khuly, miamiherald, "Are our pooping pets bad for the environment? | Miami Herald," 26 Apr. 2018 Some historians think the large circle of free-standing stones was once a solar calendar used to track the seasons. — Justin Grieser, Washington Post, "Summer solstice is Thursday — 5 things to know about the longest day of the year," 20 June 2018 That money could be reinvested the way the Europeans do it: in health care for all, subsidized childcare, free higher education, and other things that would make Americans’ lives better. — Lindsay Koshgarian, Fortune, "Trump’s Complaints About NATO Defense Spending Don’t Add Up," 12 July 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
He was trapped under debris, Subervi said, but was freed and taken to the hospital shortly afterward in serious condition. — Nathan J. Fish, azcentral, "High winds blow roof off Phoenix apartment complex; man injured," 9 July 2018 In some states, where government workers are freed from their public-sector unions, the Democratic vote drop has been estimated at between 3-5 percent. — John Kass, chicagotribune.com, "It's a bad week to be a Democratic boss," 27 June 2018 Her images capture the dream-like qualities of the American West, a place where time and space are freed from constraints. — Lydia Horne, WIRED, "Can You Spot the Hidden Images in These Psychedelic Landscapes?," 7 June 2018 Edith Finch, freed Epic’s still giving away games to promote the new Epic Games Store, and the latest is a big one: What Remains of Edith Finch, a.k.a. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "This week in games: Bungie divorces Activision, Epic gives our favorite game of 2017 away for free," 11 Jan. 2019 There is a fleeting moment in the last episode, barely a postscript, that reveals that the nonprofit The Innocence Project freed another man wrongfully imprisoned in Ada. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, "Is the True-Crime Fever Breaking? Watching Netflix’s John Grisham Documentary The Innocent Man," 14 Dec. 2018 The Freedmen’s Bank, a savings and trust company with deposits from the newly freed, was opened by the federal government in 1865. — Kia Gregory, The New Republic, "Can divesting from America’s big financial institutions help fix racial inequality?," 31 May 2018 When a crime ceases to be a crime, common sense dictates that convicts ought to be freed of their criminal records. — Ted Rall, WSJ, "Criminal Records for Obsolete Crimes," 9 Jan. 2019 Liu, 57, had consistently asked to leave China since the death of her husband last July, and had pleaded to be freed from detention. — Jane Perlez, BostonGlobe.com, "Liu Xia, detained widow of Nobel Peace laureate, leaves China," 10 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'free.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for free
free
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of free
(Entry 1 of 3)
: not costing any money
: not held as a slave or prisoner
: not physically held by something
free
adverbEnglish Language Learners Definition of free (Entry 2 of 3)
: in a free way
: without charge : at no cost
free
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of free (Entry 3 of 3)
: to release (a person or animal) from a prison, cage, etc.
: to release (someone or something) from being physically held or blocked
: to cause or allow (someone or something) to stop having or being affected by something unpleasant, painful, or unwanted
See the full definition for free in the English Language Learners Dictionary
free
adjective
\ ˈfrē
\
\
freer\ ˈfrē-ər \;
freest\ ˈfrē-əst \
Kids Definition of free
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: given without charge
a free ticket
2
: having liberty : not being a slave or prisoner
free citizens
3
: not controlled by a harsh ruler or laws
a free country
4
: not physically held by something
… his utmost efforts could lift the gate free.— Dick King-Smith, Pigs Might Fly
5
: not having or suffering from something unpleasant, unwanted, or painful
free from worry
6
: not held back by fear or uncertainty
Feel free to ask questions.
7
: not blocked
The road was free of traffic.
8
: not required to be doing something
See me when you're free.
9
: not used or occupied
a free seat
10
: not combined
free oxygen
free
verb
freed;
freeing
Kids Definition of free (Entry 2 of 3)
: to let go or set free
free
adverbKids Definition of free (Entry 3 of 3)
1
: in a free manner : freely
They let their dog run free.
2
: without charge
Buy two, get one free.
free
adjective
\ ˈfrē
\
\
freer;
freest
Medical Definition of free
1a
: relieved from or lacking something and especially something unpleasant or burdensome
free from pain
b
: not bound or confined by force
upon opening the skull a considerable amount of free blood is noted— H. G. Armstrong
2a(1)
: not united with, attached to, combined with, or mixed with something else
a free surface of a bodily part
(2)
: having the bare axon exposed in tissue
a free nerve ending
b
: not chemically combined
free calcium
c
: not permanently attached but able to move about
a free electron in a metal
3
: having all living connections severed before removal to another site
a free graft research…in free flap transfers— B. R. Alford
Keep scrolling for more
free
adjectiveLegal Definition of free
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: having the legal and political rights of a citizen
b
: enjoying civil and political liberty
a free people
c
: enjoying political independence or freedom from outside domination
these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent States — Declaration of Independence
d
: not subject to the control or domination of another
2
: made or done as a matter of choice and right : not compelled or restricted
no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof — U.S. Constitution amend. I a free and voluntary confession
3
: relieved from or lacking a burden (as a lien or other encumbrance on title)
a buyer in ordinary course of business…takes free of a security interest created by the buyer's seller — Uniform Commercial Code
4
: not bound, confined, or detained by force
free on bail
5a
: having no trade restrictions
b
: not subject to government regulation
c
of foreign exchange
: not subject to restriction or official control
6
: not costing or charging anything
for free
: without charge
free
transitive verb
freed;
freeing
Legal Definition of free (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to cause to be free
2
: to relieve or rid of what constrains, confines, restricts, or burdens
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on free
What made you want to look up free? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
What did you just call me?! A Quiz
-
- If a member of the audience describes your speech as bombastic, does that person mean it is:
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share free
Resources for free