Meaning & use
freestyle
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Meanings
noununcountablesport
a swimming race or stroke in which the swimmer can choose any style, usually the front crawl.
Grammar: Often used without 'a' or 'the' when talking about the sport: 'She swims freestyle.'
Patterns
- swim freestyle
- the 100-meter freestyle
- freestyle relay
He won the gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle.
In freestyle, most swimmers use the front crawl.
She prefers freestyle to backstroke.
noununcountablemusicsport
a style of performance, especially in rap music or skiing, with no prepared plan or set rules.
Grammar: Used as a noun: 'He did a freestyle.' Also common as an adjective: 'a freestyle rap'.
Patterns
- rap freestyle
- a freestyle verse
- ski freestyle
The rapper impressed everyone with his freestyle.
She competed in freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics.
They spent the afternoon doing freestyle tricks on their boards.
adjectivebefore a nounmusicsport
performed without a fixed plan or set routine; improvised.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: 'a freestyle performance'.
Patterns
- freestyle rap
- freestyle skiing
- freestyle swimming
He gave a freestyle rap that made the crowd cheer.
The event includes freestyle dancing and skateboarding.
She is known for her freestyle approach to cooking.
verbintransitivemusicinformal
to perform freestyle, especially to rap without prepared lyrics.
Grammar: No object: 'He freestyled for ten minutes.'
Patterns
- freestyle over a beat
- freestyle for someone
He freestyled over the beat and the crowd went wild.
She can freestyle about any topic you give her.
They freestyled together at the party.
Word forms
| third person singular | freestyles |
|---|---|
| past tense | freestyled |
| past participle | freestyled |
| -ing form | freestyling |
| plural | freestyles |
Common combinations
- freestyle swimming
- Freestyle swimming is the fastest stroke.
- freestyle rap
- He is famous for his freestyle rap battles.
- freestyle skiing
- Freestyle skiing involves jumps and tricks.
- 100-meter freestyle
- She set a new record in the 100-meter freestyle.
- do a freestyle
- The rapper did a freestyle for the radio show.
Synonyms and how they differ
- improvisation
- A general word for making something up as you go; 'freestyle' is more specific to sports and music.
- front crawl
- The specific swimming stroke most people use in freestyle races; 'freestyle' can also refer to the race itself.
Word family
- freestyler noun
- a person who performs freestyle, especially in rap or skiing.
Practice
In the Olympics, swimmers often compete in the 100-meter ______.
Choose one answer.
'Freestyle' is the correct noun for the swimming event. 'Free style' is not a standard spelling for the sport. 'Freestyling' is the -ing form of the verb, and 'freestyler' is a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “freestyle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.