freestyle
Americannoun
-
Swimming.
-
a competition in which any of the standard strokes may be used, according to the swimmer's choice.
-
the crawl.
-
-
Wrestling. a style of wrestling in which the contestants are permitted to trip, tackle, and use holds below the waist.
-
a sports performance or routine featuring relatively free, unrestricted movement, or intended to demonstrate an individual's special skills or style, such as in figure skating, gymnastics, surfing, or skateboarding.
-
-
Also called freestyle rapping. Also called freestyle rap,. a style of rap in which the topic, rhymes, and rhythm are improvised.
Her first breakout rap album was all freestyle.
-
a rap that is improvised throughout.
He's known for his freestyles.
-
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
a competition or race, as in swimming, in which each participant may use a style of his or her choice instead of a specified style
-
-
an amateur style of wrestling with an agreed set of rules
-
Also called: all-in wrestling. a style of professional wrestling with no internationally agreed set of rules
-
-
a series of acrobatics performed in skiing, etc
-
( as modifier )
a freestyle event
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of freestyle
Explanation
In sports, a freestyle race allows the athlete to choose between different methods of competing. Swimmers can use any stroke in a freestyle event (though they almost always choose the front crawl). In swimming, freestyle is synonymous with the crawl — but that's only because most swimmers choose to swim this fast stroke in freestyle races. Officially, freestyle offers a choice between crawl, breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke. Sports that allow for creativity are often described as freestyle, too, like freestyle BMX events and freestyle skiing, both of which involve jumps and tricks. Freestyle was coined from the idea that athletes are free to choose the style they prefer.
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:
There is a chance that Olivia and Georgia could swim together in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
She qualified for the Commonwealth Games and, as British champion, was a favourite for the 100m freestyle.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
Another British Olympic swimmer, Emily Barclay, won the women's 50m freestyle in 24.09, around half a second slower than the world record.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
But after she hits you with that, she’ll just freestyle for three or four minutes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Another drone started, another competitor, another zoom, another crazy jump, freestyle, then another.
From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd
An up-and-coming UK rapper's thanked Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda for "changing my life" after he praised one of her freestyles.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Their freestyles are constantly going viral on Instagram and TikTok, and Issa Rae tapped them for the soundtracks of her shows “Insecure” and “Rap Sh!t.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2024
McDevitt settled for a pair of All-America Consideration time wins, in the 200 and 500 freestyles.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 12, 2022
“Screw captured that rawness,” Walker writes, “the banter, the freestyles, the long stretches of testimony pouring from their hearts — because he made room for them to have a voice.”
From Washington Post ● May 23, 2022
“I wrote the song, and I came up with the freestyles on the spot just like you’re supposed to do in a battle. What are you trying to say?”
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
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.
