liberate

verb lib·er·ate \ ˈli-bə-ˌrāt \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

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Examples: liberate in a Sentence

Definition of liberate

liberated; liberating

transitive verb

1 : to set at liberty : free; specifically : to free (something, such as a country) from domination by a foreign power

2 : to free from combination

liberate the gas by adding acid

3 : to take or take over illegally or unjustly

material liberated from a nearby construction site
—Thorne Dreyer

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liberator

play \ˈli-bə-ˌrā-tər\ noun

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liberatory

play \ˈli-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē\ adjective

See liberate defined for English-language learners

See liberate defined for kids

Examples of liberate in a Sentence

Rebels fought to liberate the country.
Soldiers liberated the hostages from their captors.
Laptop computers could liberate workers from their desks.
He was using materials that he had liberated from a construction site.

Recent Examples of liberate from the Web

Some calculations suggest humans could not afford them calorifically without the invention of cooking—a process that liberates otherwise indigestible nutrients.

— The Economist, "A history of big-headedness," 31 May 2018
For many who grew up in communist German Democratic Republic, the USSR is chiefly remembered as the power that liberated Germany from Nazism.

— ben knight, USA TODAY, "German villagers protest massive U.S. military convoy on sleepy roads," 31 May 2018
Pompeo will also press the Saudis on contributing more to stabilization efforts in territory in Syria recently liberated from the Islamic State group, the officials said.

— NBC News, "Pompeo, in Saudi Arabia, talks tough on Iran, Gulf dispute," 29 Apr. 2018
There’s power in love to lift up and liberate when nothing else will.

— sarah pulliam bailey, Washington Post, "‘There’s power in love’: Read the fiery sermon at the royal wedding by the Episcopal Church’s Michael Curry," 19 May 2018
There’s power in love to lift up and liberate when nothing else will.

— NBC News, "Rev. Michael Curry surprises with sermon touching on civil rights at royal wedding," 19 May 2018
This means liberating them from electronic health records that require 4,000 clicks while easing their documentation burden with smart voice assistance and machine learning.

— jonathan bush, STAT, "Giving doctors the ‘capability’ they need to care for patients can fight burnout," 8 May 2018
There is a lot of charlatanism that is just designed to liberate you from your cash.

— clay skipper, GQ, "How to Be Happy When You're Skeptical of Everything," 3 May 2018
Pompeo will also press the Saudis on contributing more to stabilization efforts in territory in Syria recently liberated from the Islamic State group.

— CBS News, "Pompeo embarks on Mideast leg of first trip as secretary of state," 28 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'liberate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of liberate

Latin liberatus, past participle of liberare, from liber — see ¹liberal

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1623

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

liberate Synonyms

Phrases

turn loose;

Synonym Discussion of liberate

free, release, liberate, emancipate, manumit mean to set loose from restraint or constraint. free implies a usually permanent removal from whatever binds, confines, entangles, or oppresses.

- freed the animals from their cages

release suggests a setting loose from confinement, restraint, or a state of pressure or tension, often without implication of permanent liberation.

- released his anger on a punching bag

liberate stresses particularly the resulting state of liberty.

- liberated their country from the tyrant

emancipate implies the liberation of a person from subjection or domination.

- labor-saving devices emancipated us from household drudgery

manumit implies emancipation from slavery.

- the document manumitted the slaves

LIBERATE Defined for English Language Learners

liberate

verb

Definition of liberate for English Language Learners

: to free (someone or something) from being controlled by another person, group, etc.
: to give freedom or more freedom to (someone)
: to take or steal (something)