freewheeling
adjective
free·wheel·ing
ˌfrē-ˈ(h)wē-liŋ 
: free and loose in form or manner: such as
a
: heedless of social norms or niceties
the raider style of his freewheeling father—
Garry Wills
Garry Wills
b
: not repressed or restrained
freewheeling promiscuity
a freewheeling competitive spirit
c
: not bound by formal rules, procedures, or guidelines
a freewheeling investigation
d
: loose and undisciplined : not defensive
a freewheeling style of hockey
freewheelingly
adverb
Examples of freewheeling in a Sentence
She led a freewheeling life in the city.
James Bond has long been the model of the freewheeling hero who encounters danger and excitement in every corner of the globe.
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, China is putting its freewheeling facial recognition industry on notice.
—Washington Post, 30 July 2021
Incongruity isn’t seen as a blemish, and the lyrics tend to be more freewheeling and braggadocious.
—Sheldon Pearc, The New Yorker, 30 June 2021
See all Example Sentences for freewheeling 
Washington Post, 30 July 2021
Incongruity isn’t seen as a blemish, and the lyrics tend to be more freewheeling and braggadocious.
—Sheldon Pearc, The New Yorker, 30 June 2021
See all Example Sentences for freewheeling
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freewheeling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Freewheeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freewheeling. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
freewheeling
adjective
free·wheel·ing
-ˈhwē(ə)l-iŋ
-ˈwē(ə)l-iŋ
: free and loose in form or manner
especially
: not held back by rules, duties, or worries
led a freewheeling life in the city
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