free speech
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of free speech
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50
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.
“The Fifth Amendment protection to due process, the First Amendment protection to free speech, they apply whether you’re a citizen or not,” Lee said.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who visited Dartmoor to pay his respects to the 78 year old, described her as a "remarkable individual" and "the fiercest defender of free speech".
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad because it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say, ‘You want free speech?’
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
At a university famous for its role in left-wing activism during the 1960s free speech movement and anti-Vietnam War protests, Pelosi vows to promote a nonpartisan academic endeavor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
From what I understand, free speech is something Americans cherish, so they allowed us to continue chanting.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
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.
