# liberated

/ˈɫɪˌbɝˌeɪtɪd/ (US) · /lˈɪbəɹˌeɪtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/liberated
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. socially free

adjective · CEFR B2

free from old-fashioned ideas about how people should behave, especially regarding social or sexual roles.

For teachers: released from traditional social, sexual, or ideological constraints; often used to describe progressive attitudes in the late 20th century.

- She felt much more liberated after moving to the city and meeting people with modern ideas.
- The novel explores the lives of liberated women in the 1970s who challenged the domestic expectations of their parents' generation.

### 2. set free from control

adjective · CEFR B2

released from the control of an enemy, a prison, or a strict government.

For teachers: having been set free from physical or political bondage, occupation, or imprisonment.

- The liberated prisoners were finally able to return to their families after the war ended.
- The citizens of the liberated capital took to the streets to celebrate the departure of the occupying forces.

### 3. past action of freeing

verb · CEFR B2

the past tense of 'liberate', meaning to have set someone or something free.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'liberate', indicating the completed action of granting freedom.

- The army liberated the town after a long and difficult battle.
- By the time the international observers arrived, the local militia had already liberated the remaining political detainees from the compound.

## Examples

- She felt liberated after quitting her stressful job.
- The new policy liberated small businesses from heavy taxes and complex paperwork.
- The artist's later works, liberated from the strict conventions of classical realism, explored bold colors and abstract forms.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.