freedom

noun

free·​dom ˈfrē-dəm How to pronounce freedom (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being free: such as
a
: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b
: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : independence
c
: the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous
freedom from care
d
: unrestricted use
gave him the freedom of their home
e
: ease, facility
spoke the language with freedom
f
: the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken
answered with freedom
g
: improper familiarity
h
: boldness of conception or execution
2
a
: a political right
Choose the Right Synonym for freedom

freedom, liberty, license mean the power or condition of acting without compulsion.

freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.

freedom of the press

liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion.

the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty

license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom.

freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license

Examples of freedom in a Sentence

Or Bugs would do the impossible by jumping out of the frame and landing on the drawing board of the cartoonist who was at work creating him. This freedom to transcend the laws of basic physics, to hop around in time and space, and to skip from one dimension to another has long been a crucial aspect of imaginative poetry. Billy Collins, Wall Street Journal, 28-29 June 2008
I can see that my choices were never truly mine alone—and that that is how it should be, that to assert otherwise is to chase after a sorry sort of freedom. Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father, (1995) 2004
It's the beginning of summer.  … For many adults who are really closet kids, this means that their blood hums with a hint of freedom Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, 18 June 2001
He thinks children these days have too much freedom. She has the freedom to do as she likes. a political prisoner struggling to win his freedom
Recent Examples on the Web Culture secretary Lucy Frazer later issued a notice triggering watchdog inquiries into the potential ownership of The Telegraph by an Abu Dhabi royal from a country with a poor record on press freedom. Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 Right now, the relentless growth of settlements in the West Bank has created a one-state reality on the ground, although one in which people have very different rights and freedoms depending on their ethnic and religious background. Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 According to Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) election observers, the last presidential election in Russia in 2018 was well-administered but restricted in terms of fundamental freedoms and lack of competition. USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 Just going in and just making an album with freedom, pretty much. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 Those first Patrick Henry Patriots enjoyed what was at the time a kind of unprecedented curricular freedom. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024 That means giving your booksellers freedom that allows them frankly to have more fun. Byphil Wahba, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 And the law, along with a slew of other contentious ones signed by Mr. DeSantis in recent years, led organizations such as Equality Florida, one of the plaintiffs, to issue travel advisories last year, citing concern about diminishing rights and freedoms in the state. Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Security, economic growth, and personal freedoms all suffer as trust becomes a commodity for sale. Mark Sappenfield, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

see free entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of freedom was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near freedom

Cite this Entry

“Freedom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freedom. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

freedom

noun
free·​dom ˈfrēd-əm How to pronounce freedom (audio)
1
a
: the state of being free : liberty, independence
b
: ability to move or act freely
c
: the state of being released from something usually unpleasant
freedom from care
d
: the quality of being frank or open
answered with freedom
e
: use without restriction
has the freedom of the house
2
: a political right

Legal Definition

freedom

noun
free·​dom
1
: the quality or state of being free: as
a
: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b
: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another
c
: the quality or state of being exempt or released from something onerous
2
a
: a political or civil right

More from Merriam-Webster on freedom

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