freedom of speech

noun phrase

: the legal right to express one's opinions freely

Examples of freedom of speech in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The use of lyrics sparked outrage from freedom of speech advocates and prominent musicians and producers in the hip-hop world, who argued that rap music and the writing process is a form of artistic expression and not necessarily a reflection of reality. —Deena Zaru, ABC News, 31 Oct. 2024

The party has become increasingly authoritarian, adopting laws which are similar to those used by Russia to crack down on freedom of speech. —Reuters, NBC News, 27 Oct. 2024

No one’s stopped those brilliant young artists, and especially young women ready for America’s first woman President, in using their platform for women’s rights and freedom of speech before — and surely won’t this week either. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024

To faculty, new protest rules threaten freedom of speech – and the freedom to think, both central to university life. —Annie Ma, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2024

Legal Definition

freedom of speech

: the right to express information, ideas, and opinions free of government restrictions based on content and subject only to reasonable limitations (as the power of the government to avoid a clear and present danger) especially as guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution see also free speech compare censorship, prior restraint