free market

American  

noun

1. an economic system in which prices and wages are determined by unrestricted competition between businesses, without government regulation or fear of monopolies.

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free market British  

noun

1. 1. an economic system that allows supply and demand to regulate prices, wages, etc, rather than government policy

   2. ( as modifier )

      a free-market economy

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free market Cultural  

1. The production and exchange of goods and services without interference from the government or from monopolies.

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Other Word Forms

• free marketeer
  noun
• free-market
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

free market

Meanwhile, in the real world, the free market is a prosperity dynamo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

Huang has called for more social housing — either co-ops or publicly owned apartments that are not part of the free market.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

The free market produced unprecedented growth in U.S. oil and gas production and exports.

From Barron's ● Jan. 23, 2026

The future of Rodman was of great interest to Europe's most successful clubs with the potential to pick up a world-class player in the free market.

From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026

Private enterprise was supposed to build an industrial duty-free port in Bolivia Mar. Thus far the free market has not accepted the challenge.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• liberalism