free speech

noun

: speech that is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

also : the right to such speech

… speakers were allowed to exercise their constitutional right of free speech …

—Harold Ickes

Examples of free speech in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The public comment bill of rights, as Cooper named it, would spell out the council’s commitment to free speech under the First Amendment that kicks off the original Bill of Rights. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Madix argued free speech, though the court found that her statements about the videos were not the issue at hand. — Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026

This prompted backlash from critics, who felt that the platforms were stifling free speech or putting their thumb on the scale politically. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026

After the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, authorities ramped up their crackdown on dissent and free speech, relentlessly targeting rights organizations, independent media, members of civil society organizations and Kremlin critics. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for free speech

• beseech
• impeach
• outreach
• beach
• beech
• bleach
• breach
• breech
• each
• keech
• leach
• leech

Kids Definition

free speech

noun

: speech that is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

also : the right to such speech

Legal Definition

free speech

noun

1

: speech that is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

setting off an alarm bell is not free speech

—A. M. Dershowitz

2

: freedom of speech

an unconstitutional restraint on free speech

—National Law Journal