as in freeing
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
in a way, modern labor-saving appliances enfranchised people, giving them much more leisure time
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Recent Examples of enfranchising
The Radical Republican Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, as Michael Waldman writes in The Fight to Vote, was even blunter than Sumner about the necessity of enfranchising Black men.
—
Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfranchising
Verb
-
The generation that rode cheap college, rising home prices, and the 401(k) revolution into late career was expected to bow out gracefully, freeing up houses and jobs for their kids and grandkids.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
-
Letting go of control to obtain a vision or fantasy and falling down the rabbit hole is freeing and dreamy — but only for the right person.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Georgacopoulos has made a career out of liberating pearls from their classical, somewhat staid image.—
Kate Matthams,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
The conflict looms large over the film’s Kosovar Albanian teens — as does institutionalized discrimination against them — but Basholli’s intentionally blinkered focus, through the eyes of her 13-year-old protagonist, proves constraining and liberating all at once.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Orlopp’s response was to go on the offensive, raising profitability targets and announcing plans to cut around 3,000 jobs by the end of the decade, essentially making the case that Commerzbank doesn’t need rescuing.—
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
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While keeping poison off the streets is paramount, rescuing those caught in the grip of addiction is the equally vital second half of Florida’s strategy.—
John Koufos,
Sun Sentinel,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Eventually, the police stopped releasing updates.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
Swift surprised fans hours after the song went live by releasing an accompanying music video.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Verb
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After mutual suspicion, the two arrived at a reluctant truce in which Paul was free to bring non-Jews into the Jesus movement, emancipating them from Jewish ritual, while the original Jerusalem circle continued to keep kosher, circumcise, and all the rest.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s when Patriots goalkeeper Mamie Kosicki shined, saving multiple high-quality chances to hold the score.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2026
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In a statement issued on June 10, Svelta Plastic Surgery maintained that advanced life-saving measures were already underway before firefighters arrived.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enfranchising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfranchising. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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