free 1 of 2

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as in freed
no longer burdened with something unpleasant or painful after our son arrived home safely, we were grateful to be free from worry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in gratis
not costing or charging anything although the museum normally charges admission, on Wednesdays it is free to all

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as in single
not physically attached to another unit an arrangement of free columns adds interest to the Greco-Roman sculpture garden

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free

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verb

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as in to open
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions we'll free the river by breaking up the ice jam

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as in to clear
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way would you mind freeing up the work area so I can work?

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For
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a free press
an unrestricted press
an uncensored press
an independent press
an unregulated press
an open press
free access
open access
public access
unlimited access
excellent access
free speech
open speech
uncensored speech
liberated speech
unchecked speech
free space
open space
clear space
eligible space
valid space
unlocked space
a free choice
a personal choice
an unfettered choice
an open choice
a willing choice
an independent choice

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective free contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of free are autonomous, independent, and sovereign. While all these words mean "not subject to the rule or control of another," free stresses the complete absence of external rule and the full right to make all of one's own decisions.

you're free to do as you like

When is it sensible to use autonomous instead of free?

While the synonyms autonomous and free are close in meaning, autonomous stresses independence in matters pertaining to self-government.

in this denomination each congregation is regarded as autonomous

When would independent be a good substitute for free?

In some situations, the words independent and free are roughly equivalent. However, independent implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies.

the colony's struggle to become independent

When is sovereign a more appropriate choice than free?

The words sovereign and free are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sovereign stresses the absence of a superior power and implies supremacy within a thing's own domain or sphere.

separate and sovereign armed services

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of free
Adjective
However, the most intriguing superstar free agent not named Juan Soto may be coming over through international free agency. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 The event is free, but mobile tickets are required and the stadium's clear bag policy will be in effect. Ashley Mahoney, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
Hundreds of Amazon shoppers are setting up the same affordable shed to free up space ahead of winter. Clint Davis, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024 Amaral’s large-scale abstract works free themselves from the wall and refuse any form of categorization. Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for free 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free
Adjective
  • Those schools were, according to former pupils, hotbeds of cruelty and child abuse — an independent investigation in 2005 found evidence of criminal assault at the boys’ school in the 1970s and ’80s — as well as highly traditionalist values.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Four years later, the Coastal Act established the commission as an independent and permanent agency with the power to review construction and other activities in the coastal zone, which extends from high tide to as much as five miles inland.
    Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Operating in loose cooperation with Lebanese insurgents, these militias wreaked havoc on Israeli forces and their collaborators.
    Sarah E. Parkinson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2024
  • Interviews and discussions ran longer and looser, and since the set itself was so quiet, these talky segments emphasized the unsettling absence of background noise.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • In addition, the home includes a two-car garage, offering generous space for vehicles and storage requirements.
    Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • At a competitive price and 27% discount, this SSD also comes with a generous five-year warranty, providing peace of mind.
    Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The biggest problem with the bullpen approach is that the more pitchers a team uses in a game, the chances multiply of at least one of them having an off night.
    Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2024
  • The key to success is to switch your attention from keyword optimization to offering genuine value through interactive features, user-centric content and effective off-page methods.
    Adhip Ray, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • These techniques should be familiar to Photoshop users.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
  • While both Choi and Newman are familiar to the legislature, the district is a bit of a new arena.
    Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Vents in the front and across the top of the head are all controlled easily with a single switch and make the helmet highly breathable.
    Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
  • The man was taken to a Fargo, N.D., hospital by ambulance to be treated for a single gunshot wound.
    Matt Henson, Twin Cities, 9 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Democrat Josh Harder is heading back to the U.S. House following his defeat of Republican Kevin Lincoln in California’s 9th Congressional District, according to election results released Friday.
    Jason Green, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
  • The Los Angeles County registrar did not update results over the weekend — the last tally there was released at 5 p.m. on Friday — but Tran is leading there with 56.26% of the vote.
    Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • First opened in 1970 as a product of the Chicano movement, the Denver school — now shuttered — taught its youth about Latino history and traditions.
    Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
  • The driving rats project has opened new and unexpected doors in my behavioral neuroscience research lab.
    Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near free

Cite this Entry

“Free.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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