freehand

1 of 2

adjective

free·​hand ˈfrē-ˌhand How to pronounce freehand (audio)
: done without mechanical aids or devices
freehand drawing
freehand adverb

free hand

2 of 2

noun

: freedom of action or decision

Examples of freehand in a Sentence

Adjective She took a course in freehand drawing. Noun gave him free hand in managing the club
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
On set, 19-year-old artist Chella Man felt right at home in the second floor bathroom painted by Keith Haring; both Haring and Chella use a fluid, often abstract yet heavily emotive, freehand style to express themselves. Sean Bennett, Teen Vogue, 21 June 2018 And throughout, all kinds of brushes and tools enable an entire palette’s worth of colors to flow, stutter, twist, suffuse and fold, while freehand additions à la de Kooning — and Mr. Green’s earlier work, as well — occasionally flit about. New York Times, 16 Mar. 2017
Noun
The free hand that Zelensky has had to commandeer the war effort will be curtailed to some degree. Daniel Baer, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2022 Anderson towered over his friend, using his free hand to push down on the desk chair. Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for freehand 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freehand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1841, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of freehand was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near freehand

Cite this Entry

“Freehand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freehand. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

freehand

1 of 2 adjective
free·​hand ˈfrē-ˌhand How to pronounce freehand (audio)
: done without mechanical aids or devices
freehand drawing
freehand adverb

free hand

2 of 2 noun
: freedom to act or decide
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