as in to liberate
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
in a way, modern labor-saving appliances enfranchised people, giving them much more leisure time
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Recent Examples of enfranchise
After the Third Reform Act of 1884, six of 10 adult Englishmen were enfranchised.
—
Geoffrey Wheatcroft, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Millions were enfranchised when women got the vote in 1920, but Black women were mostly excluded from voting due to legal discrimination.
—JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2024
In 1972, after the Twenty-sixth Amendment lowered the voting age from twenty-one to eighteen, some twenty-five million additional Americans were enfranchised in time for the Presidential election.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
The Fifteenth Amendment enfranchised Black men, implicitly creating a bloc of voters to counterbalance the power of former Confederates in the South.
—Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for enfranchise
Geoffrey Wheatcroft, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Millions were enfranchised when women got the vote in 1920, but Black women were mostly excluded from voting due to legal discrimination.
—JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2024
In 1972, after the Twenty-sixth Amendment lowered the voting age from twenty-one to eighteen, some twenty-five million additional Americans were enfranchised in time for the Presidential election.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
The Fifteenth Amendment enfranchised Black men, implicitly creating a bloc of voters to counterbalance the power of former Confederates in the South.
—Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for enfranchise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfranchise
Verb
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The same technology that could liberate human curiosity could just as easily extinguish it.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
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By the end of the session in August, Congress codified a process for Butler-like actions by army officers to assume jurisdiction over any enslaved people who liberated themselves by sneaking into Union lines.—
Zaakir Tameez
June 11,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2025
Verb
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With its easy setup and free unlimited storage, family members can instantly share photos from anywhere.—
Jené Luciani Sena
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2025
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Divers off the coast of Mexico recently tried to free a humpback whale wrapped up in fishing gear — with a shark in tow, video shows.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Also on Tuesday morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its monthly look at U.S. import and export prices — a report that historically hasn't gotten a ton of attention, but now provides another way to measure the impact of tariffs.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
15 June 2025
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On Sunday at 2:18 a.m. the NWS Raleigh NC released a flood watch valid between 1 p.m. and 11 p.m.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 June 2025
Verb
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House Bill 168, introduced by Democrat Texas state Representative Jon Rosenthal, aims to prohibit all marriages involving individuals under 18, including those who are legally emancipated.—
Emma Marsden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 May 2025
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The 'Modern Family' star faced challenges growing up, including emancipating from her mother at 17.—
Gillian Telling,
People.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
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The Oscar winner and nominee, respectively, star as Kevin McKay and Mary Ludwig, a bus driver and a teacher, who helped rescue a bus full of children.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
8 June 2025
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But Brad Marchand rescued the Panthers with the Marchand Miracle, a goal in the second overtime for a 5-4 road win and 1-1 series heading back to South Florida for Game 3 Monday night.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Molly saves the day, grabbing a teapot from a closet, where she’s been saving a secret stash of cash.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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On the plus side, Hershel finally perfected his knife-throwing just in time to save mom Maggie from becoming Grizzly Chow.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Enfranchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfranchise. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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