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Synonyms

at liberty

Idioms  

  1. Free, not obligated; also, not occupied. For example, I am not at liberty to tell you the whole story, or “I ... washed when there was a basin at liberty” (Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847). This idiom is often used in a negative context, as in the first example. [First half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When at liberty, Ms. Minnelli wasn’t sitting alone in her room.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Jacques Moretti had been held in custody since January 9, while his wife has remained at liberty, under certain restrictions.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

The trial is set to continue until December and the defendant will remain at liberty, under judicial supervision.

From BBC • Sep. 8, 2025

I also feel entirely at liberty with the table salt.

From Slate • Aug. 17, 2025

I’m still around, but from here on in, for reasons I’m not at liberty to disclose, I’ve disguised myself so cunningly that even the cleverest reader will fail to recognize me.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.