freely
/ˈfɹili/adjective, adverb
freely is spelled F-R-E-E-L-Y: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 12 times per million words in written English, the 6,347th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, freely means “Free; frank” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in freely?
| Letters | 6: F-R-E-E-L-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 12 times per million words; the 6,347th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is freely?
Freely appears 12 times per million words in written English, the 6,347th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce freely?
- UK /ˈfɹiːli/
- US /ˈfɹili/
Freely has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-freely.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with freely?
3 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as freely from its last stressed vowel (/ili/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of freely
- freelier comparative
- more freely comparative
- freeliest superlative
- most freely superlative
- frely
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does freely mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Free; frank.
- 2
Generous; noble; excellent; beautiful; lovely.
adverb
- 1
In a free manner.
Wine was flowing freely.
- 2
Without interference or restriction.
talk freely
- 3
Of one's own free will.
I will freely help you.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Freely in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | librement |
| German | frei |
| Portuguese | livremente |
| Spanish | libremente , a sus anchas, a sus anchos |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does freely come from?
From Middle English frely, freelich, from Old English frēolīc (“free, freeborn, glorious, stately, magnificent, noble, beautiful, charming”), equivalent to free + -ly. Compare Middle Low German vrilik, vrigelik (“free”), Middle High German vrīlich (“free”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).