freewheel

1 of 2

noun

free·​wheel ˈfrē-ˈ(h)wēl 

: a clutch fitted in the rear hub of a bicycle that permits the rear wheel to run on free from the rear sprocket when the pedals are stopped

freewheel

2 of 2

verb

freewheeled; freewheeling; freewheels

intransitive verb

1

: to roll along freely independent of a gear

2

: to move, live, or play freely or irresponsibly

freewheeler noun

Examples of freewheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For the latest Buffalo bike, technicians from bike companies SRAM, Trek and Giant created a system using a switchable freewheel and two chains. —Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

Through a backpedal motion, the freewheel on the Utility S2 shift from one chain tension to another, high gear or low. —Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

Verb

Six years later, the company produced the first installment of Bonnaroo, on a farm site an hour outside of Nashville, with headliners like Phish’s Trey Anastasio and Phil Lesh and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead to set their psychedelic, freewheeling reputation. —August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025

But in the months since President Donald Trump took office and kicked off a freewheeling global trade war, Chamberlain has spent a few thousand dollars more on 3D printers from China. —Kayla Steinberg, NBC news, 26 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for freewheel

• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal
• cornmeal
• flywheel
• foveal