as in freed
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
under the cover of darkness animal rights activists emancipated the inhabitants of the mink ranch
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in liberated
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Recent Examples of emancipated
Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
In the Revolutionary War itself, Britain’s Lord Dunmore had emancipated large numbers of southern slaves as a war measure—a fact well-known in both the 1770s and the 1860s.
—Akhil Reed Amar, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
Nev, who’s now 17 and emancipated, returns to Avan Island.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 21 Sep. 2025
Escape, betrayal and onward to Freedom Quarles self-emancipated in 1842 on the same day this country celebrates its independence — July 4.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Some of the cattle roaming the marsh are rumored to be the feral descendants of herds emancipated two decades ago by Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall about five miles upriver.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
The federal government's few attempts to transition the recently emancipated into the postwar economy were inadequate, historians believe.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
This is well over a dozen years before Black people are declared emancipated.
—Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
In the Revolutionary War itself, Britain’s Lord Dunmore had emancipated large numbers of southern slaves as a war measure—a fact well-known in both the 1770s and the 1860s.
—Akhil Reed Amar, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
Nev, who’s now 17 and emancipated, returns to Avan Island.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 21 Sep. 2025
Escape, betrayal and onward to Freedom Quarles self-emancipated in 1842 on the same day this country celebrates its independence — July 4.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Some of the cattle roaming the marsh are rumored to be the feral descendants of herds emancipated two decades ago by Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall about five miles upriver.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
The federal government's few attempts to transition the recently emancipated into the postwar economy were inadequate, historians believe.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emancipated
Verb
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Its stupidity was entertaining, but its stupidity also freed me from having to think about it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
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And both players seemed freed by a rotational tweak that saw the Broncos largely alternate the backs by series instead of searching for the perfect run looks for each player.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The stars say that Anderson’s ambitious, liberated ideas should carry through to womenswear.—
Maya AlZaben,
Vogue,
30 Sep. 2025
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Micro minis and short shorts dominated the runways, from Prada to Versace, underscoring a liberated, high-summer spirit.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The identities of the two boys and their cause of death were not immediately released, but foul play is not suspected, according to WFAA.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Oct. 2025
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Fans across the globe are now accusing her of using AI in her promotional videos, which were released in the form of a scavenger hunt on Google this weekend.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Of course, title notwithstanding, this opener is as gleeful as the rest of the record, as Swift sings about being rescued from a descent into Shakespearian madness by her happy-go-lucky baller.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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The group was able to use their phone to call 911 and she was rescued by air ambulance with unknown injuries, deputies said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The site will also showcase regional heroes of the Underground Railroad, including the work of Smith, a freeborn woman with African American heritage who spent 21 years of her life as Stevens’ house manager and confidante (and, some speculate, his common-law wife).—
Tracy Schorn,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 Dec. 2023
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Robert—a man born in Africa, enslaved in America, and now a free farmer—and his freeborn African-American herbalist wife, Mary, had worked diligently to ensure this security for themselves and their children.—
Janet Barber,
Scientific American,
9 Nov. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Emancipated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emancipated. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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