freedom of the press

noun phrase

: the right of newspapers, magazines, etc., to report news without being controlled by the government

Examples of freedom of the press in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fonda has long been committed to political causes and freedom of the press. —Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026

Alamy; Getty Images; Hulton Archive Streisand praised Redford’s advocacy for freedom of the press, fostering rising artistic voices at his Sundance Institute in Utah and protecting the natural environment. —Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 16 Mar. 2026

Neither can justly violate the freedom of the press, for example, under the First Amendment. —Kenneth Michael White, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026

After 1997, when Britain handed control of Hong Kong to China, the semi-autonomous territory was promised 50 years of Western-style civil liberties, including freedom of the press. —Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for freedom of the press

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Legal Definition

freedom of the press

: the right to publish and disseminate information, thoughts, and opinions without restraint or censorship as guaranteed under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Note: The First Amendment's guarantees of freedom of speech and freedom of the press are closely intertwined, and many cases relating to freedom of the press are couched in terms of the freedom of speech.