free market

American  

noun

1. an economic system in which prices and wages are determined by unrestricted competition between businesses, without government regulation or fear of monopolies.

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free market British  

noun

1. 1. an economic system that allows supply and demand to regulate prices, wages, etc, rather than government policy

   2. ( as modifier )

      a free-market economy

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free market Cultural  

1. The production and exchange of goods and services without interference from the government or from monopolies.

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Other Word Forms

• free marketeer
  noun
• free-market
  adjective

Example Sentences

Korsgaden has a free market approach that involves establishing a New Business Division in the insurance department to encourage more carriers with more diverse products to enter the market.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The original philosophy had four ingredients: freedom of thought, a free market, room for creative disagreement and diversity, and a removal of obstacles to self-development.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

For Jetter, Merz's China trip is a chance to take a "clear stance" that Germany believes in "a free market economy that is rules-based and wants a level playing field".

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

So the advisory firms arose from a free market to offer them analysis.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 9, 2026

Inside the free market, however, there might be some authority capable of checking its excess.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• liberalism