freewheeling

American  

[free-hwee-ling, -wee-] / ˈfriˈʰwi lɪŋ, -ˈwi- /

adjective

1. operating in the manner of a freewheel.

2. (of a person) moving about freely, independently, or irresponsibly.

3. (of words, remarks, actions, etc.) unrestrained; irresponsible.

   Loose, freewheeling charges were traded during the argument.

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freewheeling British  

/ ˌfriːˈwiːlɪŋ /

adjective

1. relating to, operating as, or having a freewheel; coasting

2. informal free of restraints; carefree or uninhibited

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Etymology

Origin of freewheeling

First recorded in 1900–05; freewheel + -ing ²

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

freewheeling

If that comparison feels a little indelicate, it’s very much in keeping with the freewheeling spirit of “Club Kid,” a sentimental journey where the house music plays all night long.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Donald Trump "pretty much does what he wants" and recommended staying calm in a world on edge, preferably with a sauna, in a freewheeling interview to AFP on Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

Our critic called it “a freewheeling, not to say completely deranged, spoof.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Cutting off Iran would also require Emirati authorities to crack down much more aggressively on opaque financial and trading activity, which could hurt Dubai’s role as a freewheeling global hub for commerce, capital and re-exports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Increasingly, it’s a difficult transition between freewheeling cyberspace and the oppressive, rule-bound Old Fartism that dominates American education.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

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Related Words

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• nonpartisan
• self-reliant
• self-sufficient
• separate
• sovereign

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