freelance

1 of 3

adjective

free·​lance ˈfrē-ˌlan(t)s How to pronounce freelance (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or being a freelancer : independent
a freelance writer/photographer
freelance careers
working on a freelance basis
b
: done by a freelancer
freelance writing/photography
2
: not sponsored by or affiliated with an organization or authority
a freelance army
The Seoul government reacted sternly to [Sun Myung] Moon's freelance diplomacy, accusing him of "causing a split in national opinion."Paul Blustein
freelance adverb

freelance

2 of 3

verb

freelanced; freelancing; freelances

intransitive verb

: to act or work as a freelancer
She freelances for a local newspaper.
… after graduating from the Philadelphia College of Art, he [John Mecray] freelanced as an illustrator and taught drawing classes at his alma mater.Nautical World

transitive verb

: to produce as a freelancer
For a while, as he looked about for another book subject, Mr. [Tracy] Kidder freelanced articles for the Atlantic Monthly magazine.Edwin McDowell

freelance

3 of 3

noun

plural freelances
1
: a person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer : freelancer
… the 42-year-old writer, who is now working on a book about Evelyn Waugh and his circle, described himself as a full-time freelance.Herbert Mitgang
2
usually free lance plural free lances
a
: a mercenary soldier especially of the Middle Ages : condottiere
b
: a person who acts independently without being affiliated with or authorized by an organization (such as a political party)
ran for office as a political free lance
"Have you been making your addresses as a free lance or under the auspices of the Speakers' Bureau … ?" she was asked.Edwin L. James

Examples of freelance in a Sentence

Adjective I wrote a freelance article for a nature magazine.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Companies can consider moving away from hiring full-time employees to instead hire people on a freelance basis or leverage overseas talent. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Yet the freelance cannabis couriers already streaming on city streets easily dwarf the number of dispensaries. Peter Hecht, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 At the Cut, a freelance financial-advice columnist named Charlotte Cowles weaves a story of credulousness and incompetence that is so absurd as to be nigh-on impossible to believe. Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 17 Feb. 2024 Lindy Segal is a freelance lifestyle writer and editor whose work has appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, Fast Company, InStyle, and others. Lindy Segal, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2024 As a freelance visual journalist, his work has been featured in several publications before joining The Times. Jason Armond, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2024 Cojocaru, 42, who has been freelance since 2020, has produced programs in London, New York and Japan and danced as a principal guest artist with the Hamburg Ballet. Roslyn Sulcas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2024 Madison Lambert Madison Lambert is a freelance assignment editor at NBC News. Mosheh Gains, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2023 Arnav Jain Arnav Jain is a freelance associate producer for the TODAY Show based in London. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 28 Sep. 2023
Verb
Use platforms like Upwork or Fiverr for affordable freelancing talent. Virginia H, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 About 70% of Gen Z workers plan to freelance now or in the future—as layoffs surge and AI job-replacement looms, many are shifting away from traditional employment. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024 Hank Nystrom, a former Channel 2 cameraman who now freelances for Idaho Public Television, founded the Boise Tree Trimmers in 1994. Dusty Parnell, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International. Justin Klawans, theweek, 25 Jan. 2024 The Miami Herald has learned that Suh freelanced at times Sunday, creating confusion on the defense. Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Now, those who might be able to retire early or want to try their hand at freelancing or consulting must take on often-exorbitant health care costs. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2024 Even those who hold down a standard job are increasingly hedging their bets and often freelancing on the side, as the number of workers with multiple jobs hit a record recently. Irina Ivanova, Fortune, 24 Jan. 2024 More than 64 million workers in the nation freelanced this past year, per Upwork Research Institute’s latest study of 3,000 professionals. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 20 Dec. 2023
Noun
Early in her career, Erin worked as a prop stylist, production designer, and professional organizer while simultaneously freelance writing about DIY and interior design trends for several lifestyle sites. Erin Johnson, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Eighty percent of small businesses are run by a single person offering freelance services, often to supplement their income during a period of economic disruption. Zenger News, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 French survey respondents, like their British counterparts, plan to work freelance at some point this year. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 28 Feb. 2024 Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, Southern India. Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 27 Feb. 2024 Why Trust Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure is a freelance commerce writer specializing in luggage, apparel, and accessories. Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2024 Twitter By Miriam Berger Miriam Berger is a staff writer reporting on foreign news for The Washington Post from Washington, D.C. Before joining The Post in 2019 she was based in Jerusalem and Cairo and freelance reported around the Middle East, as well as parts of Africa and Central Asia. Maite Fernández Simon, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024 Why do employers think freelance equals full time, all the time? Roxane Gay, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024 The Beacon Center of Tennessee filed its federal lawsuit in Nashville on behalf of two freelance journalists, Margaret Littman and Jennifer Chesak. Jonathan Mattise, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freelance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1902, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of freelance was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near freelance

Cite this Entry

“Freelance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freelance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

freelance

noun
ˈfrē-ˌlan(t)s
1
usually free lance
: a knight whose services could be bought by any ruler or state
2
: a person who pursues a profession without being committed to work for one employer for a long time
a freelance writer
freelance
ˈfrē-ˌlan(t)s
adjective
freelance verb
freelancer
-ˌlan(t)-sər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on freelance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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