unfree

adjective

un·​free ˌən-ˈfrē How to pronounce unfree (audio)
Synonyms of unfreenext
: not free : lacking freedom
unfree laborers
an unfree decision
unfreedom
ˌən-ˈfrē-dəm How to pronounce unfree (audio)
noun

Examples of unfree 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.
There are many ways for a country to become unfree. — Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026 Other places had other forms of unfree or bonded labor. — Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 Until a few years ago, millions of Iranians repeatedly voted in the country’s mostly unfree elections, hoping that regime insiders could pave a path for reform. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026 His brother, god of hunting and tracking, is caught in the cruel paradox of parole — somehow still unfree and searching for liberty and purpose, yearning for the seeming escape of his own car on the open road, always in danger of being hunted down himself. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unfree

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfree was in the 15th century

Rhymes for unfree

See All Rhymes for unfree

Browse Nearby Words

unfraught
unfree
unfreedom
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unfree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfree. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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