From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfreedomfree‧dom /ˈfriːdəm/ ●●● S3 W2 noun 1 [countable, uncountable]FREE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT the right to do what you want without being controlled or restricted by anyone → liberty People here like their freedom and privacy. the rights and freedoms of citizensfreedom to do something We do not have the freedom to do just what we like. the freedom to votefreedom of Tighter security measures are restricting our freedom of movement (=the right to travel). The First Amendment guarantees freedom of expression.2 [uncountable]FREE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT the state of being free and allowed to do what you want He thinks children have too much freedom these days.freedom to do something The wheelchair gives him the freedom to go out on his own. Tracksuits are designed to give you freedom of movement (=the ability to move your body freely).3 [uncountable]FREE/NOT IN PRISON the state of being free because you are not in prison OPP captivity, imprisonment The prisoner was recaptured after only 48 hours of freedom.4 → freedom from something5 → freedom of choice6 → freedom of information7 → freedom of the cityCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2adjectivestotal/complete freedomRiding a motorbike gives me a feeling of total freedom.great/considerable freedomTeachers are given considerable freedom to choose their teaching methods.personal/individual freedomOur personal freedom is being restricted more and more.political/religious freedom (=freedom to have any political/religious beliefs)The people were given political freedom for the first time in the country's history.academic freedom (=freedom to teach or study any ideas)She refused, on the grounds of academic freedom, to amend the course.artistic freedom (=freedom to create anything as an artist)Banning the film would be an unacceptable restriction on artistic freedom.verbshave the freedom to do somethingWe have the freedom to travel nearly anywhere in the world.enjoy freedomFilmmakers today enjoy more freedom than in the past. phrasesthe struggle/fight for freedomThe student movement played an important role in the struggle for political freedom.freedom of speech/expression (=the legal right to say what you want)We will defend freedom of speech and oppose censorship.freedom of religion/worship (=the right to hold/practise any religious belief)Liberal newspapers made an effort to secure religious toleration and freedom of worship.freedom of movement (=the right or ability to travel, or the ability to move your body freely)Thanks to the automobile, Americans had a previously unknown freedom of movement.The tight uniforms restrict their freedom of movement.freedom of assembly (=the right of people to meet as a group for a particular purpose)Restrictions on freedom of assembly were gradually relaxed.the freedom of the press (=the right of newspapers to publish what they like, free from political control)The freedom of the press is written into the country's constitution.
Examples from the Corpus
freedom• It is small wonder that he sought quiet and freedom from external pressure to follow his inner vision.• It stands at the pinnacle of notions of individual self-expression and artistic freedom.• But freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much.• Their claim for freedom rests not on innocence, but on being unjustly imprisoned.• The constitution guarantees freedom from persecution on grounds of race, sex, or sexuality.• Davis celebrated his freedom with a steak and a beer.• According to liberalism, no principle justifies the limitation of individual freedom.• This change in the law will give parents more freedom to influence their children's education.• Teachers in the special program have a greater amount of freedom in what they teach.• One of the protestors was arrested again after only 48 hours of freedom.• The leaders of the demonstration made speeches demanding greater political freedom.• There have been instances of religious freedom being outweighed by a powerful public interest, however.• As children, they dreamed about the freedoms and riches they would enjoy in the U.S.• People here have the freedom to practise whatever religion they like.• There was a huge party at the Berlin Wall as East Germans celebrated their freedom.• The negotiations led to freedom for the eight hostages.• In a country where freedom of speech is guaranteed, citizens should expect to hear ideas with which they disagree.• No democracy can exist without freedom of speech and freedom of the press.freedom to do something• Proper local accountability requires a substantial source of revenue, and freedom to spend that revenue or reduce it.• Once the fear of unwanted pregnancy is past there is greater freedom to enjoy it.• In authoritarian media systems, the media might be privately owned but have only limited freedom to criticize government.• It was to be a shield of freedom to protect the emancipated slave against abuses from the states.• They placed great emphasis on the individual's freedom to enter into personal relationships independent of church or state.• Our aim is not the acquisition of skills, but the freedom to explore sensitively and to learn from that exploration.• The housing associations also gained the freedom to raise their own funds for new housing developments.• After years of struggle, they finally gained the freedom to vote and speak freely.• This explains why the Commission wishes to exercise some degree of control over the freedom to subsidise.freedom to do something• Proper local accountability requires a substantial source of revenue, and freedom to spend that revenue or reduce it.• Once the fear of unwanted pregnancy is past there is greater freedom to enjoy it.• In authoritarian media systems, the media might be privately owned but have only limited freedom to criticize government.• It was to be a shield of freedom to protect the emancipated slave against abuses from the states.• They placed great emphasis on the individual's freedom to enter into personal relationships independent of church or state.• Our aim is not the acquisition of skills, but the freedom to explore sensitively and to learn from that exploration.• The housing associations also gained the freedom to raise their own funds for new housing developments.• This explains why the Commission wishes to exercise some degree of control over the freedom to subsidise. 