Definition of UNFETTERED

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A fetter is a chain or shackle for the feet (as on a prisoner), or, more broadly, anything that confines or restrains. The word derives from Middle English "feter" and shares a relationship with Old English fot, meaning "foot." In current English "unfettered" typically suggests that someone or something is figuratively "unchained," or unrestrained in progress or spirit. The poet John Donne is believed to have been the first to use "unfettered" in this way, in his 1601 work The Progress of the Soule: "To an unfetterd soules quick nimble hast / Are falling stars, and hearts thoughts, but slow pac'd."

Examples of unfettered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Any nuclear deal will hinge on the North’s willingness to allow unfettered outside inspections of the country’s warheads and nuclear fuel, much of which is likely kept in a vast complex of underground facilities. — BostonGlobe.com, "An upbeat Trump is hopeful for a ‘nice’ outcome from summit with Kim," 11 June 2018 Any nuclear deal will hinge on North Korea's willingness to allow unfettered outside inspections of the country's warheads and nuclear fuel, much of which is likely kept in a vast complex of underground facilities. — chicagotribune.com, "Trump, Kim arrive in Singapore ahead of high-stakes summit," 10 June 2018 Any nuclear deal will hinge on North Korea's willingness to allow unfettered outside inspections of the country's warheads and nuclear fuel, much of which is likely kept in a vast complex of underground facilities. — CBS News, "North Korea summit: Kim Jong Un arrives in Singapore for talks with Trump," 10 June 2018 Any nuclear deal will hinge on North Korea’s willingness to allow unfettered outside inspections of the country’s warheads and nuclear fuel, much of which is likely kept in a vast complex of underground facilities. — Foster Klug, The Seattle Times, "Final preparations begin for Trump-Kim high-stakes summit," 10 June 2018 By mid-century the rise of unfettered markets brought demands for protection against their effects. — The Economist, "The welfare state needs updating," 12 July 2018 As soon as the ball hit the net, footage of the crowd shows the ensuing celebration — including a veritable fog of beer spritzing everyone as fans splashed their beverages in the air in unfettered jubilation. — Raisa Bruner, Time, "English Soccer Fans Already Wasted a Lot of of Beer Before Winning the World Cup Semifinals," 11 July 2018 Video of Marriott’s unfettered patriotism was captured by NBC reporter Frank Thorp and went viral on social media. — Stephen A. Crockett Jr., The Root, "God's Favorite Intern, the One Who Cursed at the President, Suspended," 26 June 2018 Sunday's developments cement a trend evident ever since Trump entered the White House: his notion that presidential power is sweeping and unfettered. — Stephen Collinson, CNN, "Trump's above-the-law presidency," 4 June 2018

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