freedom

freedom — noun

1. The ability to say, believe, or do as you please, with no one holding you back o

1.nounB1
Definition

The ability to say, believe, or do as you please, with no one holding you back or keeping you under their control.

Example

The protesters demanded the freedom to express their political views openly.

freedom to + infinitive

Quan believes every child deserves the freedom to choose their own career path.

freedom to + infinitive

Common collocations
  • personal freedom
  • individual freedom
  • fight for freedom
  • defend freedom
  • freedom of choice
  • freedom of expression
Synonyms
  • liberty

    More formal; often used in political or philosophical contexts

  • autonomy

    Refers specifically to self-governance or independence in decision-making

  • self-determination

    The right of a group or person to decide their own future

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

freedom to + infinitive

freedom of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Usually uncountable in this sense. Common patterns include freedom to + infinitive (freedom to choose) and freedom of + noun (freedom of speech).

Common Mistakes

I have a freedom to choose my own clothes.
I have the freedom to choose my own clothes.
Freedom is uncountable and takes the definite article in this pattern.
The country gained freedom from colonizers.' (when referring to personal liberty)
The country gained independence from colonizers.
For nations, independence is more precise than freedom.

2. A legal or political right that allows people to act according to their own beli

2.nounB2
Definition

A legal or political right that allows people to act according to their own beliefs and to be involved in how their country is run, without being controlled by a foreign power or an unfair government.

Example

After years of struggle, the nation finally achieved freedom from colonial rule.

freedom from + noun (external control)

Sivan marched alongside thousands of others demanding basic civil freedoms.

countable plural: freedoms

Common collocations
  • political freedom
  • civil freedom
  • human freedoms
  • press freedom
  • religious freedom
  • democratic freedom
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • tyranny

    Cruel and oppressive government rule

  • oppression

    Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment

Grammar Patterns

freedoms (plural)

civil/political freedoms

Usage Note

Often used in the plural (freedoms) when listing specific rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, or freedom of religion. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to the general concept of liberty rather than specific legal entitlements.

Common Mistakes

The citizens want more freedom of speech.' (vague)
The citizens are demanding their constitutional right to freedom of speech.
This sense is about specific legal rights, not just the general idea.

3. The situation where a person is no longer kept in prison, slavery, or any other

3.nounB2
Definition

The situation where a person is no longer kept in prison, slavery, or any other kind of confinement.

Example

The hostage was finally given back her freedom after six long months.

collocation: given back (one's) freedom

Emma dreamed of the day she would walk out of the prison gates to freedom.

Common collocations
  • gain freedom
  • regain freedom
  • win freedom
  • long for freedom
  • taste freedom
Synonyms
  • liberation

    More formal; the act of setting someone free

  • release

    Focuses on the moment of being let out

  • deliverance

    Formal or literary; rescue from danger or bondage

Antonyms
  • imprisonment

    The state of being kept in prison

  • captivity

    The condition of being held as a prisoner

  • slavery

    The state of being owned by another person

Grammar Patterns

gain/win/regain (one's) freedom

be set free

Usage Note

Often appears in the phrases regain one's freedom, win one's freedom, or set someone free. This sense contrasts with sense 1, which is about liberty in general rather than release from physical confinement.

Common Mistakes

The bird flew out of the cage to its freedom.
The bird flew out of the cage to freedom.
No possessive pronoun needed after 'to' in this idiomatic usage.

4. A special honour given by a particular city to someone, usually a famous or resp

4.nounC2
Definition

A special honour given by a particular city to someone, usually a famous or respected person, as a way of showing admiration and giving them special ceremonial rights within that city.

Example

The mayor presented Faisal with the freedom of the city for his charity work.

set phrase: freedom of the city

Only a handful of people have ever been granted the freedom of London.

Common collocations
  • freedom of the city
  • freedom of the town
  • receive the freedom of
  • grant the freedom of
  • bestow the freedom of
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

freedom of the city/town

Usage Note

Always appears in the fixed phrase freedom of the city (or town). This is a ceremonial honour with no practical legal power in modern times. The right to graze sheep or drive cattle across city bridges is a traditional privilege, not a real benefit.

5. The situation where something unpleasant — such as pain, worry, fear, or pressur

5.nounB2
Definition

The situation where something unpleasant — such as pain, worry, fear, or pressure — no longer troubles you or limits how you live.

Example

The weekly yoga class gave Hassan a feeling of freedom from daily stress.

freedom from + noun (abstract)

Defne enjoyed the freedom from homework during the summer holiday break.

Common collocations
  • freedom from fear
  • freedom from pain
  • freedom from worry
  • freedom from hunger
  • freedom from poverty
  • financial freedom
Synonyms
  • exemption

    Official permission not to do something; more formal and legal

  • immunity

    Protection from something harmful; often used in legal/medical contexts

  • relief

    The feeling of being freed from something unpleasant

Antonyms
  • exposure

    Being subjected to something unpleasant

  • affliction

    Something that causes pain or suffering

Grammar Patterns

freedom from + noun phrase (something unwanted)

Usage Note

Always followed by from + a noun phrase referring to something negative or burdensome. The preposition from is essential — freedom of pain is incorrect; it must be freedom from pain. Distinguish from sense 1, where the focus is on the right to act, not on the absence of something unpleasant.

Common Mistakes

I want freedom of pain.
I want freedom from pain.
The preposition must be from, not of, when stating what you are released from.
He sought freedom from the weekend.
He sought freedom from work at the weekend.
The noun after from must be something burdensome, not a neutral time period.

6. Permission or the ability to use something, enter a place, or have access to a s

6.nounB2
Definition

Permission or the ability to use something, enter a place, or have access to a service without any limits or restrictions.

Example

The library offers students freedom of internet access throughout the building.

freedom of + noun (access)

As a member, Maja had freedom to use all the gym's equipment at any hour.

Common collocations
  • freedom of access
  • freedom of entry
  • freedom of movement
  • freedom of use
  • freedom of navigation
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • restriction

    A limit or rule that prevents full use

  • ban

    An official prohibition from using something

Grammar Patterns

freedom of + noun (access/use/entry)

Usage Note

Typically followed by of + a noun such as access, entry, use, or movement. Unlike sense 5, the object after of is neutral or positive — it names the thing you have permission to use freely, not something you are escaping from.

Common Mistakes

We have freedom from the pool during our hotel stay.
We have freedom of access to the pool during our hotel stay.
Use freedom of (not freedom from) for unrestricted use of something.
Idioms

freedom of/room for manoeuvre

idiom

The ability to change plans or actions when needed.

The new contract gives managers more room for manoeuvre.

Did the team have enough freedom of manoeuvre to win?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Freedom is the broadest term, covering any situation where a person or group is not controlled or restricted. Liberty is more formal and often appears in political or philosophical writing — the Statue of Liberty symbolises political freedom, not personal freedom. Independence focuses on the condition of not being ruled or controlled by another country, organisation, or person: a teenager wants independence from parents, while a colony seeks independence from its ruling power. Autonomy is narrower still, referring to the right of self-governance — an autonomous region manages its own affairs but is still part of a larger state. For everyday use, freedom works best: 'She valued the freedom to travel wherever she wanted.' Liberty suits formal contexts: 'The constitution guarantees certain liberties.' Independence works when separation from a controlling entity is the key idea: 'Financial independence was her main goal.'

liberty ↗independence ↗autonomy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • freedom of speech
  • freedom of choice
  • freedom of movement
  • freedom of expression
  • freedom of the press
  • freedom of assembly
  • freedom of religion
  • freedom of thought

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Freedom comes from Old English frēodōm, a combination of frēo (free — meaning 'not in bondage' or 'noble') and -dōm (a suffix forming nouns meaning 'domain, condition, or state of being'). The word has been used since before the 12th century. Its Germanic roots are shared with Dutch vrijdom and German Freiheit. Over time, the meaning broadened from 'not being a slave' to include political, social, and personal liberty.