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 pair smiled as David held a bottle of champagne to celebrate in his free hand. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Hold the potato steady with your free hand or stab a fork into one end, and peel away from your body. Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2023 When cutting with one hand, keep your free hand at least four inches from the blade. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 10 Aug. 2023 Stretch your skin Use your free hand to gently stretch the skin taut, creating a smoother glide for the dermaplaning blade. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 22 Jan. 2024 Standing beside her daughter, Crawford hugged the Bottoms star with one arm and held a black purse in her free hand. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023 Everything can be operated with one hand, giving the user flexibility of their free hand as well. Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2023 Next, with your free hand, hold your skin taut while the other moves the device downward in short, precise motions. Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 Aug. 2023 Never verify the blade depth or position by feeling for it with your free hand; that’s a fast track to a nasty cut. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 10 Aug. 2023

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 29 Mar. 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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