Freely — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb /ˈfrē-lē/ free·ly

Meaning & Definition of Freely

Freely (adverb)

  1. in a free manner
  2. of one's own accord
  3. with freedom from external control

Freely (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. of one's own free will

    "I will freely give my life for my country"

    similar: voluntarily, willingly, of one's own accord
    related: consciously, deliberately, intentionally, knowingly, wittingly, acquiescently, consentingly, electively, optionally
    opposite: involuntarily, unwillingly
    near: unconsciously, unintentionally, unknowingly, unwittingly, reluctantly

  2. without difficulty

    "the horse broke the halter rope quite freely"

    similar: easily, easy, effortlessly, facilely, fluently, handily, hands down, lightly, painlessly, readily, smoothly, well, in a breeze, no sweat (slang), without ado, without a hitch
    related: ably, adeptly, adroitly, competently, deftly, dexterously, efficiently, expertly, masterfully, proficiently, skillfully, instinctively, intuitively, naturally, spontaneously
    opposite: arduously, hardly, laboriously, strenuously
    near: awkwardly, clumsily, gracelessly, ham-handedly, ineptly, maladroitly, unskillfully, meticulously, painfully, painstakingly, thoroughly, assiduously, diligently, indefatigably, industriously, intensely, intently, mightily, sedulously, tirelessly

Related Entry: Breathe (verb)

Breathe is a different word from Freely. The synonyms below are for breathe, not for freely.

  1. to inhale and exhale air

    "sometimes it gets so hot in here that it's hard to even breathe"

    similar: respire
    related: blow (out), draw, expire, inbreathe, inspire, gasp, huff, pant, puff, suspire, wheeze, sniff, snore, snort, snuff, snuffle, whiff, yawn
    near: asphyxiate, choke, gag, smother, suffocate, garrote, stifle, strangle, throttle

  2. to have life

    "as long as I breathe, you will have a place to stay"

    similar: be, exist, live, subsist
    related: abide, continue, endure, hold on, hold up, keep (on), kick, last, lead, persist, rule, run on, survive, move, flourish, prosper, thrive
    opposite: depart, die, expire, pass away, perish, succumb
    near: disappear, evaporate, vanish, cease, desist, discontinue, end, quit, stop, abate, die (down), ebb, let up, moderate, subside, wane

Related Entry: Breathe (out) (verb)

Breathe (out) is a different word from Freely. The synonyms below are for breathe (out), not for freely.

  1. to let or force out of the lungs

    "leaned back in his chair and breathed out the smoke from his pipe"

    similar: blow (out), exhale, expel, expire
    related: expectorate
    opposite: inbreathe, inhale, inspire

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Freely

The most common words with a similar meaning to Freely:

Slang: no sweat
voluntarily, willingly, easily, easy, effortlessly, facilely, fluently, handily, hands down, lightly, painlessly, readily, smoothly, well, of one's own accord, in a breeze, without ado, without a hitch

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Freely

Words with the opposite meaning of Freely:

involuntarily, unwillingly, arduously, hardly, laboriously, strenuously

Related Words for Freely

consciously, deliberately, intentionally, knowingly, wittingly, acquiescently, consentingly, electively, optionally, ably, adeptly, adroitly, competently, deftly, dexterously, efficiently, expertly, masterfully, proficiently, skillfully, instinctively, intuitively, naturally, spontaneously

Near Antonyms of Freely

unconsciously, unintentionally, unknowingly, unwittingly, reluctantly, awkwardly, clumsily, gracelessly, ham-handedly, ineptly, maladroitly, unskillfully, meticulously, painfully, painstakingly, thoroughly, assiduously, diligently, indefatigably, industriously, intensely, intently, mightily, sedulously, tirelessly

Origin & Etymology of Freely

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Freely

Frequently Asked Questions about Freely

What does "Freely" mean?

"Freely" means in a free manner. As an adverb, it is defined as: in a free manner. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Freely"?

Other words for "Freely" include voluntarily, willingly, easily, easy, effortlessly, facilely, fluently and handily. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Freely" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Freely"?

There are 43 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Freely". Common alternatives include voluntarily, willingly, easily, easy, effortlessly, facilely, fluently, handily, hands down and lightly.

What is the opposite of "Freely"?

Antonyms of "Freely" include involuntarily, unwillingly, arduously, hardly, laboriously and strenuously. Near antonyms include unconsciously, unintentionally, unknowingly and unwittingly.

How do you use "Freely" in a sentence?

Examples of "Freely" in a sentence: "I will freely give my life for my country"; "the horse broke the halter rope quite freely".

Is "Freely" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Freely" is an adverb.

Is "Freely" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Freely" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Freely"?

"Freely" is pronounced /ˈfrē-lē/ and divided into syllables as free·ly.