1
as in emancipation
the act of setting free from slavery
the Emancipation Proclamation was merely the first step in the full enfranchisement of African-Americans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 enfranchisement
And in the young republic, enfranchisement quickly expanded further, with perhaps 80 percent of adult white men—90 percent in some states—coming to hold the right to vote.
—
Yoni Appelbaum, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
Many claim that with the abolition of slavery and the enfranchisement of women, and many other new laws like civil rights legislation and changing gender norms, there has been great progress.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In theory, this transition inaugurates a chapter of enfranchisement, but in the next scene the Senegalese businessmen are in suits, and the white men return with briefcases full of money as bribes.
—Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025
Yoni Appelbaum, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
Many claim that with the abolition of slavery and the enfranchisement of women, and many other new laws like civil rights legislation and changing gender norms, there has been great progress.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In theory, this transition inaugurates a chapter of enfranchisement, but in the next scene the Senegalese businessmen are in suits, and the white men return with briefcases full of money as bribes.
—Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfranchisement
Noun
-
Hiding in plain sight Pennsylvania, like many northern states, responded to the Declaration of Independence’s rhetorical commitment to liberty by enacting a gradual emancipation law.—
Carolyn Zola,
The Conversation,
11 June 2026
-
Because emancipation, remember, had been an executive order.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
On the first day, a short video chronicling the role of women in America’s history celebrated women’s suffrage and the Nineteenth Amendment.—
Elaine Godfrey,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
-
From inspiring fights for independence abroad to leading movements like Civil Rights, women's suffrage and LGBTQ+ rights, the more than 1,300-word document continues to make its mark across the globe.—
Alan Wheeler,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
For me, hooks’s legacy is that relentless pursuit of liberation justice.—
Grace Byron,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
-
Sugarwater, then, may serve as a homecoming — a chance for folks both within and outside of the city to celebrate Black electronic music’s foundations, its current-day significance and the Black American liberation from slavery.—
Britt Julious,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enfranchisement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfranchisement. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
