liberate

verb

lib·​er·​ate ˈli-bə-ˌrāt 

liberated; liberating

transitive verb

1

: to set at liberty : free

specifically : to free (something, such as a country) from domination by a foreign power

2

: to free from combination

liberate the gas by adding acid

3

: to take or take over illegally or unjustly

material liberated from a nearby construction site

—Thorne Dreyer

liberator

ˈli-bə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

liberatory

ˈli-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Synonyms

• discharge
• disenthrall
• disenthral
• emancipate
• enfranchise
• enlarge
• free
• loose
• loosen
• manumit
• release
• spring
• unbind
• uncage
• unchain
• unfetter

Choose the Right Synonym for liberate

free, release, liberate, emancipate, manumit mean to set loose from restraint or constraint.

free implies a usually permanent removal from whatever binds, confines, entangles, or oppresses.

freed the animals from their cages

release suggests a setting loose from confinement, restraint, or a state of pressure or tension, often without implication of permanent liberation.

released his anger on a punching bag

liberate stresses particularly the resulting state of liberty.

liberated their country from the tyrant

emancipate implies the liberation of a person from subjection or domination.

labor-saving devices emancipated us from household drudgery

manumit implies emancipation from slavery.

the document manumitted the slaves

Examples of liberate in a Sentence

Rebels fought to liberate the country.

Soldiers liberated the hostages from their captors.

Laptop computers could liberate workers from their desks.

He was using materials that he had liberated from a construction site.

Recent Examples on the Web

Outie Mark loves Gemma, and wants to liberate her from whatever captivity Lumon has placed her in, but Innie Mark’s feelings for Helly continue to bloom. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025

Ukraine liberated the city in November of that year. —Brian Mann, NPR, 28 Jan. 2025

Not only does each cremation use a lot of energy in the form of natural gas, but toxic mercury vapor also gets liberated from old-style amalgam tooth fillings. —Collin Blinder, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025

Inside the Auschwitz concentration camp complex, the soldiers liberated roughly 7,000 prisoners who had been brutalized by a Nazi regime hell-bent on exterminating the Jewish people. —Jesse Kirsch, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin liberatus, past participle of liberare, from liber — see liberal entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

liberate

verb

lib·​er·​ate ˈlib-ə-ˌrāt 

liberated; liberating

: to set free

liberator

-ˌrāt-ər 

noun