free·wheel
ˈfrē-ˈ(h)wēl 
: a clutch fitted in the rear hub of a bicycle that permits the rear wheel to run on free from the rear sprocket when the pedals are stopped
freewheeled; freewheeling; freewheels
1
: to roll along freely independent of a gear
2
: to move, live, or play freely or irresponsibly
freewheeler
noun
Examples of freewheel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025
Through a backpedal motion, the freewheel on the Utility S2 shift from one chain tension to another, high gear or low.
—Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Chris Lau, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Their remit is futuristic, but their procedures recall the freewheeling social science of the Stanford prison experiment or Stanley Milgram’s shock treatments.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for freewheel
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Noun
Fortunately, freewheels are still being made by most major manufacturers, so replacing the one that's on there shouldn't be a problem.
—New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025
Through a backpedal motion, the freewheel on the Utility S2 shift from one chain tension to another, high gear or low.
—Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
Hong Kong — Former Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, ending a years-long legal battle that has come to define Beijing’s transformational crackdown on the once-freewheeling financial hub.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Their remit is futuristic, but their procedures recall the freewheeling social science of the Stanford prison experiment or Stanley Milgram’s shock treatments.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for freewheel
Cite this Entry
“Freewheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freewheel. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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