free thought

American

noun

thought unrestrained by deference to authority, tradition, or established belief, especially in matters of religion.

free thought British

noun

thought unrestrained and uninfluenced by dogma or authority, esp in religious matters

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of free thought

First recorded in 1705–15

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.

See Examples For:

free thought

For many Russians, disagreement signals not free thought but chaotic disunity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026

Robbing children of the chance to find their voices in literature is a violation of their right to free thought and free speech.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2023

So it is good to know that there are educators in this world who encourage free thought and free expression among students who want candidly to discuss events relevant to their lives.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 9, 2023

Two new novels test the idea that asking “Why?” can be the best defense against grown-ups who push groupthink over free thought.

From New York Times ● Sep. 2, 2022

Has free thought ever endeavored to hide or distort, a fact?

From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 7 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Discussions by Robert Green Ingersoll

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