freedom
Americannoun
-
the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint.
He won his freedom after a retrial.
-
exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
-
the power to determine action without restraint.
-
political or national independence.
-
personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery.
The formerly enslaved seamstress bought her freedom and later became Mary Todd Lincoln’s dressmaker and stylist.
-
exemption from the presence of anything specified (usually followed byfrom ).
freedom from fear.
-
the absence of or release from ties, obligations, etc.
-
ease or facility of movement or action.
to enjoy the freedom of living in the country.
-
frankness of manner or speech.
- Synonyms:
- ingenuousness, openness
-
general exemption or immunity.
freedom from taxation.
-
the absence of ceremony or reserve.
-
a liberty taken.
- Synonyms:
- license
-
a particular immunity or privilege enjoyed, as by a city or corporation.
freedom to levy taxes.
-
civil liberty, as opposed to subjection to an arbitrary or despotic government.
-
the right to enjoy all the privileges or special rights of citizenship, membership, etc., in a community or the like.
-
the right to frequent, enjoy, or use at will.
to have the freedom of a friend's library.
- Synonyms:
- run
-
Philosophy. the power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy; self-determination.
noun
-
personal liberty, as from slavery, bondage, serfdom, etc
-
liberation or deliverance, as from confinement or bondage
-
the quality or state of being free, esp to enjoy political and civil liberties
-
(usually foll by from) the state of being without something unpleasant or bad; exemption or immunity
freedom from taxation
-
the right or privilege of unrestricted use or access
the freedom of a city
-
autonomy, self-government, or independence
-
the power or liberty to order one's own actions
-
philosophy the quality, esp of the will or the individual, of not being totally constrained; able to choose between alternative actions in identical circumstances
-
ease or frankness of manner; candour
she talked with complete freedom
-
excessive familiarity of manner; boldness
-
ease and grace, as of movement; lack of effort
Related Words
Freedom, independence, liberty refer to an absence of undue restrictions and an opportunity to exercise one's rights and powers. Freedom emphasizes the opportunity given for the exercise of one's rights, powers, desires, or the like: freedom of speech or conscience; freedom of movement. Independence implies not only lack of restrictions but also the ability to stand alone, unsustained by anything else: Independence of thought promotes invention and discovery. Liberty, though most often interchanged with freedom, is also used to imply undue exercise of freedom: He took liberties with the text.
Other Word Forms
- nonfreedom noun
- overfreedom noun
- unfreedom noun
Etymology
Origin of freedom
First recorded before 900; Middle English fredom, Old English frēodōm; free, -dom
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.
“Personally, ocean swimming gives me a sense of freedom, of being in nature, it’s outdoors. You feel great after a workout — maybe sore but in a good way, not beat up.”
From Los Angeles Times
“California is a proud reproductive freedom state — and that includes increasing access to fertility services that help those who want to start a family,” Newsom said after signing the bill in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times
But even as they eventually crossed over to other corners of the industry and landed consistent work with the Weeknd, they were aware of the limits to their creative freedom.
From Los Angeles Times
Slate’s online customization tool gives customers the freedom to design their EV however they want.
From Los Angeles Times
Announcing their decision to cancel, the Cookers said: "Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice."
From BBC
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.
