freedom

American  

[free-duhm] / ˈfri dəm /

noun

freedoms plural

1. the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint.

   He won his freedom after a retrial.

2. exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.

3. the power to determine action without restraint.

4. political or national independence.

5. 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.

6. exemption from the presence of anything specified (usually followed byfrom ).

   freedom from fear.

7. the absence of or release from ties, obligations, etc.

8. ease or facility of movement or action.

   to enjoy the freedom of living in the country.

9. frankness of manner or speech.

   Synonyms:

   ingenuousness, openness

10. general exemption or immunity.

    freedom from taxation.

11. the absence of ceremony or reserve.

12. a liberty taken.

    Synonyms:

    license

13. a particular immunity or privilege enjoyed, as by a city or corporation.

    freedom to levy taxes.

14. civil liberty, as opposed to subjection to an arbitrary or despotic government.

15. the right to enjoy all the privileges or special rights of citizenship, membership, etc., in a community or the like.

16. the right to frequent, enjoy, or use at will.

    to have the freedom of a friend's library.

    Synonyms:

    run

17. Philosophy. the power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy; self-determination.

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freedom British  

/ ˈfriːdəm /

noun

1. personal liberty, as from slavery, bondage, serfdom, etc

2. liberation or deliverance, as from confinement or bondage

3. the quality or state of being free, esp to enjoy political and civil liberties

4. (usually foll by from) the state of being without something unpleasant or bad; exemption or immunity

   freedom from taxation

5. the right or privilege of unrestricted use or access

   the freedom of a city

6. autonomy, self-government, or independence

7. the power or liberty to order one's own actions

8. philosophy the quality, esp of the will or the individual, of not being totally constrained; able to choose between alternative actions in identical circumstances

9. ease or frankness of manner; candour

   she talked with complete freedom

10. excessive familiarity of manner; boldness

11. ease and grace, as of movement; lack of effort

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Synonym Usage

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

Derived Forms

• nonfreedom
  noun
• overfreedom
  noun
• unfreedom
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• freedoms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of freedom

First recorded before 900; Middle English fredom, Old English frēodōm; see free, -dom

Explanation

Freedom is the state of being entirely free. Many governments claim to guarantee freedom, but often people do not, in fact, have the absolute freedom to act or speak without restraint. People in jail long for freedom. People living under an oppressive government also long for freedom. In the United States, people theoretically have "freedom of speech": the right to say whatever they’re moved to say. You’ll notice the word free in freedom. Free comes from the German frei, meaning, “to love.” The word friend shares this origin. You can think of freedom as the condition in which you have the choice to love any friend you wish.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

freedom freedoms

This has the potential to begin a new era of personal empowerment, in which individuals have greater freedom to pursue their interests and reach their full potential.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

He said if individuals classified as threats could not be detained, their freedom of movement should be restricted "as much as possible."

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

“The move into fine art, it was liberating. It gave me freedom to experiment.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

She was one of many Black parents whose demands for their children’s freedom helped define the scope of the 13th Amendment’s ban on slavery after the Civil War.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

That sweet mule Lucky Pete must have slipped cruel Flora’s rope and run off to celebrate his freedom.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

It’s also possible that the hints about export controls are diplomatic posturing by the Chinese government, intended to discourage the U.S. from imposing any restrictions on its technological freedoms.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

In fact, the Constitution’s design, which protects democratic voice and freedoms, has enabled Americans to shape constitutional meaning since the founding.

From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026

"Just because we are older and live in assisted living doesn't mean that we should have fewer freedoms than anyone else," she told a Senate committee.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

At a time when nostalgia for the ’90s is seemingly everywhere, “My Bad” places the decade into context, including its paradoxical freedoms and oppressions, with the intimate, funny rough language of your freakiest, funnest bestie.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026

This was a severe period on that plantation, and saw many unhappy restrictions upon the small luxuries and freedoms the servants had been accorded.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• autonomy
• citizenship
• democracy
• emancipation
• exemption
• immunity
• liberation
• privilege
• release
• relief
• self-determination
• self-government
• sovereignty