Word of the Day: Freedom
Freedom is a noun. It usually means the state of being free from imprisonment, control, or an unwanted limit. It can also name a specific right or the ability to choose how to live, speak, travel, or create.
Pronunciation
American English pronunciation: /ˈfɹi.dəm/. The stress is on the first syllable. The second syllable is weak and uses the short, relaxed vowel sound called a schwa.
How to use the word
Freedom is often uncountable when it describes the general condition of being free: “They valued freedom.” It can be countable when it refers to particular rights or permissions: “The law protects several freedoms.” The meaning depends on what limit, duty, or control is absent.
Common phrases include freedom of speech, freedom of movement, and freedom from fear. The adjective is free, and the verb free means to release someone or something. Liberty is a close synonym, especially in legal or political writing.
Examples
- The traveller wanted the freedom to explore an unknown world.
- A public library supports freedom of access to knowledge.
- The characters disagree about which freedoms society should protect.
Listening exercise
Listen to The Time Machine. Choose a scene in which a character can act freely or faces a strong limit. Explain the difference with the words freedom, choice, and control.
Related words
free, liberty, choice, right, and independence. Translations: frihet in Swedish, Freiheit in German, and liberté in French.
Lexical source: English Wiktionary. US English pronunciation recorded by Dvortygirl and published on Wikimedia Commons. This page uses the recording under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license.