freely

F4R1E1E1L1Y4
UK/ˈfɹiːli/US/ˈfɹili/

adjective

Free; frank.

“talk freely”

OriginMiddle English frely ← Old English frēolīc →
CommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

freely1

adjectivefreely (comparative freelier or more freely, superlative freeliest or most freely)

comparative freelier · comparative more freely · superlative freeliest · superlative most freely · alternative frely

  1. Free; frank.
  2. Generous; noble; excellent; beautiful; lovely.

freely2

adverbfreely (comparative freelier or more freely, superlative freeliest or most freely)

comparative freelier · comparative more freely · superlative freeliest · superlative most freely

  1. In a free manner.

    Wine was flowing freely.

  2. Without interference or restriction.

    talk freely

    1 more example

    I found that the Chapelon steamed almost too freely, because on a strange locomotive and road one usually tends to overfire a little through a natural lack of confidence.

    1961 February, ""Balmore"", “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives - Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 110
  3. Of one's own free will.

    I will freely help you.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
costlesslygenerouslyunobstructedly

Origin

freely · adjective

  1. Old Englishfrēolīc“free, freeborn, glorious, stately, magnificent, noble, beautiful, charming”
  2. Middle Englishfrely
  3. Englishfreely

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”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

freely · adverb

  1. Old Englishfrēolīċe“freely, readily, as a festival”
  2. Middle Englishfrely
  3. Englishfreely

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”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἀνέδην
  • ἀνέδην (anédēn)2. without interference or restriction
Bulgarian свободно
  • свободно (svobodno)1. in a free manner
Catalan lliurement, lliurement
  • lliurement1. in a free manner
  • lliurement2. without interference or restriction
Esperanto laŭvole, libere
  • laŭvole1. in a free manner
  • libere2. without interference or restriction
Estonian vabalt, vabalt
  • vabalt1. in a free manner
  • vabalt2. without interference or restriction
Finnish vapaasti, vapaasti
  • vapaasti1. in a free manner
  • vapaasti2. without interference or restriction
French librement
  • librement1. in a free manner
German frei
  • frei1. in a free manner
Greek ελεύθερα, ελεύθερα
  • ελεύθερα (eléfthera)1. in a free manner
  • ελεύθερα (eléfthera)2. without interference or restriction
Italian liberamente
  • liberamente1. in a free manner
Latin spontē, līberē
  • spontē1. in a free manner
  • līberē1. in a free manner
  • līberē2. without interference or restriction
Lithuanian laisvai
  • laisvai1. in a free manner
Polish swobodnie, do woli
  • swobodnie1. in a free manner
  • do woli1. in a free manner
Portuguese livremente
  • livremente1. in a free manner
Russian свобо́дно, во́льно
  • свобо́дно (svobódno)1. in a free manner
  • во́льно (vólʹno)1. in a free manner
Spanish libremente, a sus anchas
  • libremente1. in a free manner
  • a sus anchas2. without interference or restriction
  • a sus anchos2. without interference or restriction
Ukrainian ві́льно, ві́льно
  • ві́льно (vílʹno)1. in a free manner
  • ві́льно (vílʹno)2. without interference or restriction

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with freely

reallysteelywheeliefeelydelemealystelewheelySeeliedealieeelyfeeliemealiemieliepeeliepeelysteelieTrm̃mili
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

freely. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freely

MLA

“freely.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freely. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “freely,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freely.

Source: freely on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.