- without anyone trying to prevent or control something
- the country’s first freely elected president
- EU citizens can travel freely between member states.
- the right to worship freely
- Prices are higher than they would be if market forces were allowed to operate freely.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- without anything stopping the movement or flow of something
- When the gate is raised, the water can flow freely.
- Traffic is now moving more freely following an earlier accident.
- The book is now freely available in the shops (= it is not difficult to get a copy).
- Once into the open street they could breathe more freely.
- (figurative) The wine flowed freely (= there was a lot of it to drink).
- in an honest way without worrying about what people will say or do
- For the first time he was able to speak freely without the fear of reprisals against his family.
- without trying to avoid the truth even though it might be unpleasant or embarrassing
- I freely admit that I made a mistake.
- Both players freely acknowledge that money was a major incentive.
- in a willing and generous way
- Millions of people gave freely in response to the appeal for the victims of the earthquake.
- She has always given freely of her time.
- a piece of writing that is translated freely is not translated exactly but the general meaning is given
Check pronunciation:
freely