freely
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
without being stopped or limited by rules or physical barriers.
without interference, restriction, or physical obstruction.
Simple“The children were allowed to run freely around the large park.”
In context“Information must be allowed to flow freely across borders if we are to foster a truly global scientific community.”
SynonymsunrestrictedlyopenlyAntonymsrestrictedly - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
doing something because you want to, not because someone forced you.
of one's own free will; voluntarily and without compulsion.
Simple“He freely admitted that he had made a mistake in the report.”
In context“The witness freely offered her testimony, providing crucial details that the investigators had previously overlooked.”
SynonymsAntonymsunwillinglyforcibly - 03 C1 Advanced
in large amounts or in a very helpful way.
in a generous or abundant manner; given or used in large quantities.
Simple“She gave freely of her time to help the local charity.”
In context“The chef applied the spices freely, creating a bold flavour profile that defined the restaurant's signature dish.”
SynonymsAntonyms
freely vs free — Free describes something that costs nothing or is not restricted, while freely describes an action done without hesitation or physical constraint.
Usage freely accessible
“On the ball, players in Maresca's set-up play in clearly defined positions rather than moving around the pitch freely.”
“Mourinho freely admits that he doesn’t have much else in his life.”
From Middle English frely, freelich, from Old English frēolīc (“free, freeborn, glorious, stately, magnificent, noble, beautiful, charming”), equivalent to free + -ly. Compare Middle Low German vrilik, vrigelik (“free”), Middle High German vrīlich (“free”).
From Middle English frely, freliche, from Old English frēolīċe (“freely, readily, as a festival”), equivalent to free + -ly. Compare Dutch vrijelijk (“freely”), German freilich (“certainly, of course”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.