freely

adverb

free·​ly ˈfrē-lē How to pronounce freely (audio)
: in a free manner: such as
a
: of one's own accord
left home freely
b
: with freedom from external control
a freely elected government
c
: without restraint or reservation
spent freely on clothes
d
: without hindrance
a gate swinging freely
e
: not strictly following a model, convention, or rule
freely translated

Examples of freely in a Sentence

I will freely give my life for my country. the horse broke the halter rope quite freely
Recent Examples on the Web Two sources with direct knowledge of the liquidation plan and who requested anonymity to speak freely said the museum was facing a sizable operating deficit. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Most of those funds will go toward completing designs for an open road tolling project which would replace the existing toll plaza and allow traffic to flow more freely onto through the bridge. Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 When plants are watered, excess moisture should be able to flow freely out of the orchid potting mix. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2024 Defense lawyers said the dad never saw any signs that his son was mentally ill or would ever harm someone, that the gun wasn't a gift his son could use freely, and that it was hidden. USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 Through an embodied camera eye that moves freely in the in-between place that is an alley connecting two streets, Fortune evokes a sense of magical realism and offers texture to the meditation on the Chinese American identity, which can also be characterized as a liminal space. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 According to legend, the maple syrup once flowed freely and ready to eat from maple trees every late winter and early spring. Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 The country is still in the midst of a property crisis, and consumers aren’t spending as freely as before. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 5 Mar. 2024 Some refugees in the town, like Chae-ran, had no identification documents and lived under the radar for fear of arrest and deportation back to North Korea – meaning they are often denied job opportunities, access to health care, and the ability to move freely. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024

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

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near freely

Cite this Entry

“Freely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freely. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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