Synonyms for liberty
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Impropriety
impropriety, familiarity, indecorum rare
2. Freedom
freedom, independence, privilege, right, autonomy, emancipation, prerogative, leave, permission, charter, shore leave, immunity, exemption, license US, licence UK, scope, nationality, franchise
Definitions
- n. 1
The condition of being free.
The army is here, your liberty is assured.
- n. 2
The condition of being free from imprisonment, slavery or forced labour.
The prisoners gained their liberty from an underground tunnel.
Forms
- Plural
- liberties → improprieties, familiarities, indecorums, freedoms…
Choose the right word
Freedom and liberty are constantly interchanged; the slave is set at liberty, or gains his freedom; but freedom is the nobler word. Independence is said of states or nations, freedom and liberty of individuals; the independence of the United States did not secure liberty or freedom to its slaves.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- freedom At present freedom of speech is taken for granted.
- independence Finland achieved independence on December 6, 1917.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| liberty | steady | |
| freedom | steady | |
| independence | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- right1, leave1, scope1
- 7 letters
- freedom2, license2, charter2, licence2
- 8 letters
- autonomy4, immunity4
- 9 letters
- franchise2, privilege2, exemption3, indecorum
- 10 letters
- permission3
- 11 letters
- nationality5, familiarity5, prerogative4, impropriety5
- 12 letters
- independence4, emancipation5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (freedom2 = 2 syllables).