Definition of freewheelingnext
as in casual
not held back by rules, duties, or worries James Bond has long been the model of the freewheeling hero who encounters danger and excitement in every corner of the globe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of freewheeling Parents who have immigrated to Norway sometimes struggle to accept the freewheeling Norwegian approach to child care, expecting more academics or structure, even for their youngest. Jackie Mader, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024 Now, China is putting its freewheeling facial recognition industry on notice. Washington Post, 30 July 2021 Incongruity isn’t seen as a blemish, and the lyrics tend to be more freewheeling and braggadocious. Sheldon Pearc, The New Yorker, 30 June 2021 Made for Love, which is certainly not quite like any other book on earth, is more freewheeling, dense with references—an experiment whose outcome is as vivid and as startling as a chip stuck in the brain. Philippa Snow, The New Republic, 8 Apr. 2021 See All Example Sentences for freewheeling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freewheeling
Adjective
  • The sport is still years away from drawing the casual fan to the arena.
    Mac Engel March 31, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026
  • It’s built for casual listening virtually anywhere, including the park, the beach, or at home, and offers up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • This attempt to revisit the type of fanciful, footloose and fancy-twee storytelling that helped characterize that cultural moment is a big swing, and an even bigger miss.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
  • But sis, this vacation is your time to let go of all those titles and lean into being footloose and carefree.
    Brittany Vickers, Essence, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Margot Robbie’s understanding of the assignment is evident, her fringe frame coupled with a low and loosely bound ponytail (another hallmark of the nonchalant set).
    Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Freewheeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freewheeling. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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