free spirit

noun

plural free spirits
: a person who thinks and acts in an uninhibited way without worrying about normal social rules : nonconformist
Their daughter is a real free spirit.
Von der Becke thinks of himself now as a free spirit: a sort of drug-free, hard-working hippie.Tim Cahill
Here was a man of extraordinary sensitivity, political acumen, spiritual power, and sexual wildness; a free spirit if ever there was one.Alice Walker
free-spirited adjective

Example Sentences

Their daughter is a real free spirit. an artistically inclined free spirit who felt alienated and stifled while growing up in a small town
Recent Examples on the Web His mother was a free spirit and artist; his father was a truly brilliant computer engineer. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 17 Dec. 2022 Her grating character is meant to be a free spirit, but she’s not developed enough to feel like anything but a screenplay contrivance. Odie Henderson, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023 Cat is a free spirit who isn't afraid to be silly and always tries to keep a positive attitude. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 4 Jan. 2023 Pop culture portrays him as a free spirit, jamming, with hair styled in a mohawk or dreadlocks. Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, 9 Oct. 2020 The father was a published poet, a high school teacher, and a socialist; the mother an enchanting free spirit, a passionate communist, and a woman who lost her mental stability in her thirties. Dayna Tortorici, The New York Review of Books, 8 Oct. 2020 No one with a free spirit would believe in Monsanto. Elise Hannum, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2022 In contrast with his brother Joseph Fiennes, also a famous actor, who lives in Spain with his wife and family, Ralph is an adventurous free spirit in his love life and cherishes his solitude. Maureen Dowd, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2022 In his obituary, Obumseli was described as a free spirit with a giving nature. Dallas News, 11 Aug. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'free spirit.' 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

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of free spirit was in 1931

Dictionary Entries Near free spirit

Cite this Entry

“Free spirit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20spirit. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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