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Definitions

free hand

NOUN
freedom to act and make decisions
Synonyms
WEAK
carte blanche free choice free course free play free scope free will freedom full scope independence latitude leeway liberty one's choice one's discretion one's initiative

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He has a free hand in Iran and can move in any direction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

"So I had a free hand to launch reforms, as long as Spain's unity was not endangered."

From Barron's • Nov. 5, 2025

In the prior regime, Sheridan had been given a free hand creatively and on spending, which Ellison and his new executive team had reportedly signaled might not continue in the same way.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 29, 2025

EU policy has in effect given Aliyev "a free hand", says Eldar Mamedov, a former Latvian diplomat who served as foreign policy adviser to the European Parliament's Social Democrat group.

From BBC • Jul. 26, 2025

Her expression of intense, agonizing curiosity said the rest, as did the excited way she pranced in place and the soundless giggles that she carefully muffled with her free hand.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood