freewheel

1 of 2

noun

free·​wheel ˈfrē-ˈ(h)wēl How to pronounce freewheel (audio)
: a clutch fitted in the rear hub of a bicycle that permits the rear wheel to run on free from the rear sprocket when the pedals are stopped

freewheel

2 of 2

verb

freewheeled; freewheeling; freewheels

intransitive verb

1
: to roll along freely independent of a gear
2
: to move, live, or play freely or irresponsibly
freewheeler noun

Examples of freewheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For the latest Buffalo bike, technicians from bike companies SRAM, Trek and Giant created a system using a switchable freewheel and two chains. Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025 Through a backpedal motion, the freewheel on the Utility S2 shift from one chain tension to another, high gear or low. Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
At the exhibition in Metz, all of these works are presented in fluid succession, showcasing both the freewheeling contemporary ethos of the Pompidou Center Metz and the sprawling collections of the Louvre. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025 Forest were freewheeling towards a 3-0 win and, in the grand scheme of things, Awoniyi’s stoppage-time goal did not change much. Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for freewheel

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of freewheel was in 1899

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Freewheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freewheel. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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