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
About a year after the infirmary team returned to the United States, the 19th Amendment became law, enfranchising 27 million women, the largest expansion of voting rights in American history.
—
Amy Sohn, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
Some other states specifically prohibit localities from enfranchising noncitizens.
—Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Thus enfranchised, Hackman took on Richard Harris’ elegant killer English Bob with gusto, mixing in a bravura oratorical gavotte with ample kicks to the ribs, and summoning the Best Supporting Actor trophy.
—Fred Schruers, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2025
After the Third Reform Act of 1884, six of 10 adult Englishmen were enfranchised.
—Geoffrey Wheatcroft, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enfranchise
Amy Sohn, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
Some other states specifically prohibit localities from enfranchising noncitizens.
—Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Thus enfranchised, Hackman took on Richard Harris’ elegant killer English Bob with gusto, mixing in a bravura oratorical gavotte with ample kicks to the ribs, and summoning the Best Supporting Actor trophy.
—Fred Schruers, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2025
After the Third Reform Act of 1884, six of 10 adult Englishmen were enfranchised.
—Geoffrey Wheatcroft, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enfranchise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfranchise
Verb
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This is a delicate, unexpectedly powerful slice of cinema literally unveiled, the filmmakers as liberated as the characters hope to one day be.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
3 Feb. 2026
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The deregulatory agenda, the most significant since President Ronald Reagan’s, has begun to liberate households and businesses from the dictates of Washington’s bureaucracy.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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By smashing together heavy atoms of lead traveling at near-light speeds using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), scientists can create a high-energy environment that briefly frees gluons and quarks from this atomic bondage, recreating the quark-gluon plasma of the early universe.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Though fumble recoveries are mostly about good fortune, the process of freeing the ball can often be technique-driven.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At least 302 people have been released as of Thursday, according to the organization Foro Penal, though its tally is far lower than the more than 800 reported by authorities.—
Anabella González,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
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These early concepts were blown away in the next decade, when the original Elite was released in 1984.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The actress would go on to struggle with addiction issues and in February 1991, emancipated herself at the age of 14.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
5 Dec. 2025
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All the black captives in liberated territories were emancipated, and Amador was proclaimed king.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Crews rescued another, uninjured employee who was stranded with the crane above the site.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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Trump has promised to help rescue the country’s persecuted protesters as thousands died.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Caimor’s wealthiest citizens can transfer their Pith, or consciousness, into a chassis, or new body, modified to their every whim… or the poor but terminally ill, like nine-year-old Anabelle, can be transferred into a black-market, stock-model Edgar body in order to save her life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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The same Center for Public Safety Management took less than two months to conclude Deerfield Beach would save somewhere between $250 million and $900 million over 20 years by going independent.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enfranchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfranchise. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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