freedman

noun

freed·​man ˈfrēd-mən How to pronounce freedman (audio)
-ˌman
Synonyms of freedmannext
: a person freed from slavery

Examples of freedman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The owner was believed to be a magistrate or a freedman of the imperial household. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 Probably not his community of freedmen, anxious to escape the stigma of an enslavement that had ended less than ten years prior. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026 In Edward Zwick's tense Civil War drama about the first all-Black Army regiment, freedmen and freedom seekers volunteer to prove to white America and themselves that liberty is worth dying for. — Kevin P. Sullivan, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026 These were to control the lives and control the movements, control any attempt at owning property, any attempt at physical liberty, really, for the freedmen. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for freedman

Word History

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of freedman was in 1587

Rhymes for freedman

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Browse Nearby Words

free diving
freedman
freedom
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Cite this Entry

“Freedman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freedman. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

freedman

noun
freed·​man ˈfrēd-mən How to pronounce freedman (audio)
-ˌman
: a person freed from slavery

More from Merriam-Webster on freedman

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for freedman

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about freedman

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