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Free vs. Freely — What's the Difference?

Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 29, 2024
"Free" describes something that costs nothing or is unconfined, while "freely" is an adverb meaning without restriction or done voluntarily.
Free vs. Freely — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Free and Freely

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Key Differences

"Free" is an adjective used to indicate that something does not cost any money, implying no financial charge for acquisition. On the other hand, "freely" serves as an adverb, implying actions performed without any restrictions, constraints, or coercion, emphasizing the manner of action rather than cost.
When describing the availability of something without a price, "free" is the correct choice. For example, libraries often offer free access to books and resources. Conversely, "freely" is used to describe the way something is given or done, such as expressing opinions without fear of retribution or sharing resources without limitation.
In terms of liberty or release from confinement, "free" can describe a state of being, such as being free from obligations or imprisonment. "Freely," however, pertains to the ease and lack of hindrance in actions or movements, such as moving freely through a space or speaking freely in a conversation.
The distinction also extends to legal and philosophical contexts where "free" might refer to rights and entitlements without cost or constraint, like free speech. "Freely," in these contexts, would discuss the unimpeded exercise of such rights, highlighting the aspect of voluntariness and absence of external control.
"Free" can imply an exemption from something undesirable, like being free of disease, whereas "freely" emphasizes an uninhibited or spontaneous quality in actions or decisions, such as donating money freely to a cause, underlining the voluntary aspect.
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Comparison Chart

Part of Speech

Adjective
Adverb

Meaning

Costs nothing; not confined
Without restrictions; voluntarily

Usage Context

Price, liberation
Manner of action

Examples in Sentences

The museum offers free admission.
He speaks freely about his opinions.

Associated Concepts

Cost-free, unrestricted
Unhindered, voluntary

Compare with Definitions

Free

Not costing any money.
Admission to the park is free for children under five.

Freely

Voluntarily, without being forced.
He freely offered his help to the team.

Free

Not under the control or in the power of another.
After years of struggle, the country is finally free.

Freely

In an unrestricted manner.
Information flows freely on the internet.

Free

Exempt from something undesirable.
The city has been declared free of the disease.

Freely

Without hesitation or reservation.
She speaks freely about her experiences.

Free

Unrestricted in movement or use.
The animal roams free in its natural habitat.

Freely

Generously or abundantly.
He gives freely to his favorite charities.

Free

Available without restrictions.
The software is free for personal use.

Freely

Without restrictions or limitations.
The journalist writes freely about the government.

Free

Able to act or be done as one wishes; not under the control of another
I have no ambitions other than to have a happy life and be free
A free choice

Freely

Not imprisoned or confined
Walked out of prison a free man.
Set the birds free.

Free

Not or no longer confined or imprisoned
Police were forced to let him walk free
The researchers set the birds free

Freely

Not controlled by obligation or the will of another
Felt free to go.

Free

Not subject to engagements or obligations
She spent her free time shopping

Freely

Not controlled by another country or political power; independent
A free nation.

Free

Not subject to or affected by (something undesirable)
Our salsas are free of preservatives

Freely

Governed by consent and possessing or granting civil liberties
A free citizenry.

Free

Given or available without charge
Free health care

Freely

Not subject to arbitrary interference by a government
A free press.

Free

Using or expending something without restraint; lavish
She was always free with her money

Freely

Not enslaved.

Free

(of literature or music) not observing the normal conventions of style or form.

Freely

Not affected or restricted by a given condition or circumstance
A healthy animal, free of disease.
People free from need.

Free

(of the wind) blowing from a favourable direction to the side or aft of a vessel.

Freely

Not subject to a given condition; exempt
Income that is free of all taxes.

Free

Without cost or payment
Ladies were admitted free

Freely

Not bound by convention or the rules of form
A free artistic style.

Free

With the sheets eased
I kept her off the wind and sailing free until I had all square forward

Freely

Not literal or exact
A free translation.

Free

Release from confinement or slavery
They were freed from jail

Freely

Costing nothing; gratuitous
A free meal.

Free

Remove something undesirable or restrictive from
His inheritance freed him from financial constraints
Free your body of excess tension

Freely

Publicly supported
Free education.

Free

Make available for a particular purpose
We are freeing management time for alternative work

Freely

Unobstructed; clear
A free lane on the highway.

Free

Not imprisoned or confined
Walked out of prison a free man.
Set the birds free.

Freely

Not occupied or used
A free locker.
Free energy.

Free

Not controlled by obligation or the will of another
Felt free to go.

Freely

Not taken up by scheduled activities
Free time between classes.

Free

Not controlled by another country or political power; independent
A free nation.

Freely

Immoderate in giving or spending; liberal or lavish
Tourists who are free with their money.

Free

Governed by consent and possessing or granting civil liberties
A free citizenry.

Freely

Frank or unguarded in expression or manner; open or outspoken
She is very free with her opinions.

Free

Not subject to arbitrary interference by a government
A free press.

Freely

Given, made, or done of one's own accord; voluntary or spontaneous
A free act of the will.
Free choices.

Free

Not enslaved.

Freely

Unconstrained; unconfined
Free expansion.

Free

Not affected or restricted by a given condition or circumstance
A healthy animal, free of disease.
People free from need.

Freely

Not fixed in position; capable of relatively unrestricted motion
A free electron.

Free

Not subject to a given condition; exempt
Income that is free of all taxes.

Freely

Not chemically bound in a molecule
Free oxygen.

Free

Not bound by convention or the rules of form
A free artistic style.

Freely

Involving no collisions or interactions
A free path.

Free

Not literal or exact
A free translation.

Freely

Empty or unoccupied
A free space.
An atom with a free energy level.

Free

Costing nothing; gratuitous
A free meal.

Freely

(Nautical) Favorable
A free wind.

Free

Publicly supported
Free education.

Freely

Not bound, fastened, or attached
The free end of a chain.

Free

Unobstructed; clear
A free lane on the highway.

Freely

Being a form, especially a morpheme, that can stand as an independent word, such as boat or bring.

Free

Not occupied or used
A free locker.
Free energy.

Freely

Being a vowel in an open syllable, as the o in go.

Free

Not taken up by scheduled activities
Free time between classes.

Freely

In a free manner; without restraint.

Free

Immoderate in giving or spending; liberal or lavish
Tourists who are free with their money.

Freely

Without charge.

Free

Frank or unguarded in expression or manner; open or outspoken
She is very free with her opinions.

Freely

To make free, as from confinement or oppression
Freed the slaves.

Free

Given, made, or done of one's own accord; voluntary or spontaneous
A free act of the will.
Free choices.

Freely

To relieve of a burden, obligation, or restraint
A people who were at last freed from fear.

Free

Unconstrained; unconfined
Free expansion.

Freely

To remove obstructions or entanglements from; clear
Free a path through the jungle.

Free

Not fixed in position; capable of relatively unrestricted motion
A free electron.

Freely

To make available
Canceling the program freed up money for the new library.

Free

Not chemically bound in a molecule
Free oxygen.

Freely

Freestyle.

Free

Involving no collisions or interactions
A free path.

Freely

Free; frank.

Free

Empty or unoccupied
A free space.
An atom with a free energy level.

Freely

Generous; noble; excellent; beautiful; lovely.

Free

(Nautical) Favorable
A free wind.

Freely

In a free manner.
Wine was flowing freely.

Free

Not bound, fastened, or attached
The free end of a chain.

Freely

Without interference or restriction.
Talk freely

Free

Being a form, especially a morpheme, that can stand as an independent word, such as boat or bring.

Freely

Of one's own free will.
I will freely help you.

Free

Being a vowel in an open syllable, as the o in go.

Freely

In a free manner; without restraint or compulsion; abundantly; gratuitously.
Of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely eat.
Freely ye have received, freely give.
Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell.
Freely we serveBecause we freely love.

Free

In a free manner; without restraint.

Freely

In a free manner;
The painting featured freely brushed strokes

Free

Without charge.

Free

To make free, as from confinement or oppression
Freed the slaves.

Free

To relieve of a burden, obligation, or restraint
A people who were at last freed from fear.

Free

To remove obstructions or entanglements from; clear
Free a path through the jungle.

Free

To make available
Canceling the program freed up money for the new library.

Free

Freestyle.

Free

(social) Unconstrained.
He was given free rein to do whatever he wanted.

Free

Not imprisoned or enslaved.
A free man

Free

Unconstrained by timidity or distrust

Free

Generous; liberal.
He's very free with his money.

Free

(obsolete) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.

Free

Without obligations.
Free time

Free

Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed, engrossed, or appropriated; open; said of a thing to be possessed or enjoyed.
A free school

Free

Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending individual rights against encroachment by any person or class; instituted by a free people; said of a government, institutions, etc.
This is a free country.

Free

(software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.
OpenOffice is free software.

Free

(software) Intended for release, as opposed to a checked version.

Free

Obtainable without any payment.
The government provides free health care.
It's free real estate.

Free

Complimentary
Buy a TV to get a free DVD player!

Free

(abstract) Unconstrained.

Free

(mathematics) Unconstrained by relators.
The free group on three generators

Free

Unconstrained by quantifiers.
z is the free variable in \forall x\exists y:xy=z.

Free

(programming) Unconstrained of identifiers, not bound.

Free

(linguistics) of a morpheme That can be used by itself, unattached to another morpheme.

Free

(physical) Unconstrained.

Free

Unobstructed, without blockages.
The drain was free

Free

Unattached or uncombined.
A free radical

Free

Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.
You can sit on this chair; it's free.

Free

Not attached; loose.
In this group of mushrooms, the gills are free.

Free

(military) Of a rocket or missile: not under the control of a guidance system after being launched.

Free

Without; not containing (what is specified); exempt; clear; liberated.
We had a wholesome, filling meal, free of meat.
I would like to live free from care in the mountains.

Free

(dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.
A free horse

Free

(dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; followed by of.

Free

Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.
Free service;
Free socage

Free

(legal) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common.
A free fishery;
A free warren

Free

Without needing to pay.
I got this bike free.

Free

(obsolete) Freely; willingly.

Free

(transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.

Free

(transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses.

Free

To relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system.

Free

Abbreviation of free kick

Free

(association football) A free transfer.

Free

(hurling) The usual means of restarting play after a foul is committed, where the non-offending team restarts from where the foul was committed.

Free

Abbreviation of freestyle
The team won the 200 meters free relay.

Free

Exempt from subjection to the will of others; not under restraint, control, or compulsion; able to follow one's own impulses, desires, or inclinations; determining one's own course of action; not dependent; at liberty.
That which has the power, or not the power, to operate, is that alone which is or is not free.

Free

Not under an arbitrary or despotic government; subject only to fixed laws regularly and fairly administered, and defended by them from encroachments upon natural or acquired rights; enjoying political liberty.

Free

Liberated, by arriving at a certain age, from the control of parents, guardian, or master.

Free

Not confined or imprisoned; released from arrest; liberated; at liberty to go.
Set an unhappy prisoner free.

Free

Not subjected to the laws of physical necessity; capable of voluntary activity; endowed with moral liberty; - said of the will.
Not free, what proof could they have given sincereOf true allegiance, constant faith, or love.

Free

Clear of offense or crime; guiltless; innocent.
My hands are guilty, but my heart is free.

Free

Unconstrained by timidity or distrust; unreserved; ingenuous; frank; familiar; communicative.
He was free only with a few.

Free

Unrestrained; immoderate; lavish; licentious; - used in a bad sense.
The critics have been very free in their censures.
A man may live a free life as to wine or women.

Free

Not close or parsimonious; liberal; open-handed; lavish; as, free with his money.

Free

Exempt; clear; released; liberated; not encumbered or troubled with; as, free from pain; free from a burden; - followed by from, or, rarely, by of.
Princes declaring themselves free from the obligations of their treaties.

Free

Characteristic of one acting without restraint; charming; easy.

Free

Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited; as, a free horse.

Free

Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; - followed by of.
He therefore makes all birds, of every sect,Free of his farm.

Free

Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed, engrossed, or appropriated; open; - said of a thing to be possessed or enjoyed; as, a free school.
Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as freeFor me as for you?

Free

Not gained by importunity or purchase; gratuitous; spontaneous; as, free admission; a free gift.

Free

Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending individual rights against encroachment by any person or class; instituted by a free people; - said of a government, institutions, etc.

Free

Certain or honorable; the opposite of base; as, free service; free socage.

Free

Privileged or individual; the opposite of common; as, a free fishery; a free warren.

Free

Not united or combined with anything else; separated; dissevered; unattached; at liberty to escape; as, free carbonic acid gas; free cells.

Free

Freely; willingly.
I as free forgive youAs I would be forgiven.

Free

Without charge; as, children admitted free.

Free

To make free; to set at liberty; to rid of that which confines, limits, embarrasses, oppresses, etc.; to release; to disengage; to clear; - followed by from, and sometimes by off; as, to free a captive or a slave; to be freed of these inconveniences.
Our land is from the rage of tigers freed.
Arise, . . . free thy people from their yoke.

Free

To remove, as something that confines or bars; to relieve from the constraint of.
This master keyFrees every lock, and leads us to his person.

Free

To frank.

Free

People who are free;
The home of the free and the brave

Free

Grant freedom to; free from confinement

Free

Relieve from;
Rid the the house of pests

Free

Remove or force out from a position;
The dentist dislodged the piece of food that had been stuck under my gums
He finally could free the legs of the earthquake victim who was buried in the rubble

Free

Grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to;
She exempted me from the exam

Free

Make (information) available publication;
Release the list with the names of the prisoners

Free

Free from obligations or duties

Free

Free or remove obstruction from;
Free a path across the cluttered floor

Free

Let off the hook;
I absolve you from this responsibility

Free

Part with a possession or right;
I am relinquishing my bedroom to the long-term house guest
Resign a claim to the throne

Free

Make (assets) available;
Release the holdings in the dictator's bank account

Free

Able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint;
Free enterprise
A free port
A free country
I have an hour free
Free will
Free of racism
Feel free to stay as long as you wish
A free choice

Free

Unconstrained or not chemically bound in a molecule or not fixed and capable of relatively unrestricted motion;
Free expansion
Free oxygen
A free electron

Free

Costing nothing;
Complimentary tickets

Free

Not occupied or in use;
A free locker
A free lane

Free

Not fixed in position;
The detached shutter fell on him
He pulled his arm free and ran

Free

Not held in servitude;
After the Civil War he was a free man

Free

Not taken up by scheduled activities;
A free hour between classes
Spare time on my hands

Free

Not literal;
A loose interpretation of what she had been told
A free translation of the poem

Free

Without restraint;
Cows in India are running loose

Common Curiosities

What does it mean to speak freely?

To speak freely means to express oneself without restraint or fear of consequences.

Can a product be advertised as "freely available"?

Yes, indicating it can be accessed or used without any restrictions, though "free" emphasizes its costlessness.

How does "freely" apply in legal contexts?

It pertains to the unimpeded exercise of rights or actions, such as speaking or moving without legal restrictions.

Can "free" describe something available without limitations?

Yes, it can describe both the absence of financial cost and the lack of restrictions on access or use.

Can "free" and "freely" be used interchangeably?

No, because they serve different grammatical functions and convey distinct meanings related to cost/no-cost and manner of action, respectively.

How is "freely" used to describe generosity?

It indicates giving or sharing generously and without hesitation or restraint.

How does "free" relate to cost?

"Free" indicates that something does not require payment to obtain or use.

Is there a scenario where "free" implies a negative connotation?

Rarely, but it might imply a lack of value or quality in some contexts, unlike "freely," which generally has positive connotations of openness and generosity.

What is the main difference between "free" and "freely"?

"Free" is an adjective describing something without cost or restraint, while "freely" is an adverb indicating actions done without restrictions.

Is "free" only related to financial cost?

No, "free" can also describe being unconfined, unrestricted, or released from something undesirable.

What does it mean to act freely?

It means to act without coercion, limitation, or external control, often emphasizing voluntariness.

Can "freely" imply ease in addition to lack of restriction?

Yes, it often suggests an action is performed easily or naturally, without impediment.

How does "free" relate to freedom?

It describes the state of being at liberty rather than in confinement or under the control of another.

Does "freely" ever relate to financial transactions?

Less commonly, as it primarily concerns the manner of action or behavior rather than economic transactions.

In what context might "free" and "freely" be confused?

When discussing concepts of liberty and rights, where both the costless aspect of "free" and the uninhibited nature of "freely" might seem applicable, though they emphasize different aspects.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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