free rein
noun
: unrestricted liberty of action or decision
The studio gave the director free rein over the movie.
Examples of free rein in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead of fixing the trust fund, lawmakers could finance Social Security’s full benefits by giving it free rein to add to annual budget deficits in perpetuity.
—
Ben Ritz, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
With free rein to explore any topic of interest, Adhara took the opportunity to learn more about the striking Swinhoe’s White-eye (Zosterops simplex).
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026
The capybara swim happened at Wichabai Ranch, where a rewilding conservation program has given a small group of them a lake and, apparently, free rein over the guests.
—Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2026
Other than that constraint, the chefs had free rein over their burgers.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for free rein
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Ben Ritz, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
With free rein to explore any topic of interest, Adhara took the opportunity to learn more about the striking Swinhoe’s White-eye (Zosterops simplex).
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026
The capybara swim happened at Wichabai Ranch, where a rewilding conservation program has given a small group of them a lake and, apparently, free rein over the guests.
—Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2026
Other than that constraint, the chefs had free rein over their burgers.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for free rein
Cite this Entry
“Free rein.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20rein. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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