freehand

American  

[free-hand] / ˈfriˌhænd /

adjective

1. drawn or executed by hand without guiding instruments, measurements, or other aids.

   a freehand map.

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adverb

1. in a freehand manner.

   to draw freehand.

Etymology

Origin of freehand

First recorded in 1860–65; free + hand

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

freehand

At the top of a design from the 1430s for the tower of the Imperial Cathedral in Frankfurt, drawn in a spirited freehand, is a group of unusually cheerful gargoyles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

Because of that, Vargas — who always works freehand and does not use spray paints — has to carefully paint each section with a brush, as even a roller will not work on that surface.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026

But the top of my crack, well, it swerves like it’s a freehand drawing done after a third martini.

From Slate ● Feb. 22, 2026

Lead conservator Dr Lucía López-Polín pieced over 200 bits of skull together freehand to return it to its original shape, including upper and lower jaws.

From Science Daily ● May 1, 2024

She did not sketch in charcoal, but painted her subjects freehand in watercolor with a fine-pointed brush, adding layer after layer of color for depth and detail.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman