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Synonyms

freelancer

American  
[free-lan-ser] / ˈfriˌlæn sər /
Also free lancer,

noun

  • freelancers
    plural
  1. a person who works as a writer, designer, performer, or the like, selling work or services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of freelancer

First recorded in 1920–25; freelance ( def. ) + -er 1 ( def. )

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:

A freelancer by day, I’d appreciated teaching’s miraculous equation: I did my job, they paid me the first of every month.

From Salon Aug. 24, 2026

"So when you download software, when an SME uses the cloud, when a freelancer sells a design service abroad, there are no taxes at the border," she said.

From Barron's Mar. 27, 2026

The author is a freelancer, a teacher and a mom of three.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 2, 2026

They both knew, we are told, that the actual photographer had been Vietnamese freelancer Nguyễn Thành Nghệ.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 27, 2025

When this issue was raised during a recent journalist debate, Rajan side-stepped it by raising the issue of whether one was a staffer or freelancer while writing for the paper.

From Behind the News: Voices from Goa's Press by Various

In recent years, Letterboxd has made a foray into journalism, hiring an editorial team of staff and freelancers, who publish solid film writing on Letterboxd Journal.

From Salon Jul. 15, 2026

“Our clients don’t ask, ‘Are you working on my project from 8 to 5?’ ” says Munro, who manages a team of five full-time employees and about 22 freelancers scattered across the country.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 10, 2026

Hobbyists use it on personal projects, while freelancers use it to spin up their own business ideas.

From Slate Apr. 14, 2026

Distil Coworking offers a fully equipped office environment for freelancers, remote workers and small businesses, with members subscribing monthly for access to hot desks, a café and 3.5 acres of gardens.

From BBC Apr. 6, 2026

There were a few others, freelancers who’d step in when we needed them.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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