unfree

1 of 2

adjective

un·​free ˌən-ˈfrē How to pronounce unfree (audio)
Synonyms of unfreenext
: not free : lacking freedom
unfree laborers
an unfree decision
unfreedom noun

unfreedom

2 of 2

noun

un·​freedom "+ How to pronounce unfreedom (audio)
: lack of freedom
these newcomers—black and white—toiled under some degree of unfreedom … were bound servants for greater or lesser termsOscar Handlin
gains his sense of security by this very unfreedom of conformingH. A. Overstreet

Examples of unfree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
There are many ways for a country to become unfree. Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026 Other places had other forms of unfree or bonded labor. Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 Until a few years ago, millions of Iranians repeatedly voted in the country’s mostly unfree elections, hoping that regime insiders could pave a path for reform. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026 His elections in 2018 and 2024 were widely denounced as fraudulent or unfree by the U.S., the European Union and many Latin American governments. Paul Vallas, Twin Cities, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfree

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfree was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Unfree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfree. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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