How does the adjective free contrast with its synonyms?
Some common synonyms of free are autonomous, independent, and sovereign. While all these words mean "not subject to the rule or control of another," free stresses the complete absence of external rule and the full right to make all of one's own decisions.
you're free to do as you like
When is it sensible to use autonomous instead of free?
While the synonyms autonomous and free are close in meaning, autonomous stresses independence in matters pertaining to self-government.
in this denomination each congregation is regarded as autonomous
When would independent be a good substitute for free?
In some situations, the words independent and free are roughly equivalent. However, independent implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies.
the colony's struggle to become independent
When is sovereign a more appropriate choice than free?
The words sovereign and free are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sovereign stresses the absence of a superior power and implies supremacy within a thing's own domain or sphere.
separate and sovereign armed services
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 free
Adjective
Still, simple temperature knobs would remain a superior solution for distraction-free operation while driving.—New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2026 Unpacking Meta's wild week Meta delivered a strong third quarter Wednesday evening, but worries about negative free cash flow and its AI spending needs upstaged strong guidance and a promising roadmap for its viral Muse AI agent.—
Alexa Lomonaco,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2026
Verb
Global Reach, an advocacy group that works to free Americans detained abroad and currently represents five Americans held in Russia, praised the release but called for the other prisoners to come home as well.—
Dasha Litvinova,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Oct. 2026 Hubbard's release follows the return of American Robert Gilman, who was freed from Russian custody in August after his health deteriorated to a life-threatening condition.—
Jennifer Jacobs,
CBS News,
21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for free
The maintenance requests have kept engine repair and overhaul facilities backed up, from those owned by manufacturing giants GE Aerospace and RTX unit Pratt & Whitney to smaller, independent ones.
—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2026
To pinpoint the exact moment of this turnaround, Young’s team used two independent dating methods.
The result is a vehicle that feels more controlled than its predecessor, with less of the loose, floaty behavior that could make the previous model feel heavy on uneven roads.
—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2026
Smotherman is feeling looser than most this time of the year.
But this year, rumors suggest the company is doing away with this upgrade option amid the RAM crunch, or at least adding some fine print that would make customers pay for part of the usually gratis level-up.
Not all pads are alike, but a footprint on the larger side involves five to ten acres of cleared, packed ground that serves as the hub for drilling equipment, which can include wellheads, pump jacks, tanks, wastewater storage pits, trailers, and flare stacks.
The decor could feel a little utilitarian, but that didn't bother me; the generous proportions and practical layout were more consequential.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Oct. 2026
The professionalization worked, but at the expense of the site’s internal culture, Cooke argues, as generous eccentrics were displaced by neurotic lovers of rules.
The answer is that there are some cases where quantum waves interfere constructively and give rise to a pattern familiar from classical physics.
—
Philipp Strasberg,
Scientific American,
20 Oct. 2026
For experienced yogis, doing yoga from a chair can offer new ways to explore familiar movements, says Pate, who incorporates a chair into many of her regular yoga classes.
Copy Citation
