free rein
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of free rein
First recorded in 1950–55
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.
“One of the things I knew going into the project is that we weren’t going to have free rein access to them at every minute, every second of their time in Los Angeles,” he said.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
Without it, it was argued, tech firms would be given free rein to help themselves to UK content and train their AI products to mimic it - putting human artists out of work.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
A superintendent assigned to the case gives George free rein to pursue his theories.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
“Policy permanency is a more effective driver of long-term economic growth, but we’ll see. She is a political rock star in Japan and will have free rein for now.”
From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026
Star Trek was set in 2266, but it wasn’t necessary to wait three centuries to see what America’s finest minds could do, given free rein.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
