freelance
5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for freelance, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person who works independently for different clients rather than being employed long-term by one company.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use freelance
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
Coined by Sir Walter Scott in his 1819 novel Ivanhoe, originally describing a medieval mercenary knight whose "lance" (weapon and services) was not sworn to any single lord. The word later shifted to its modern sense of independent, self-employed work.
Full origin of freelance →Frequently asked questions
What does “freelance” mean?
The word “freelance” means a person who works independently for different clients rather than being employed long-term by one company. In plain terms, working for yourself, taking on jobs from different clients instead of having one employer.
How do you pronounce “freelance”?
“Freelance” is pronounced FREE-lahns (/ˈfɹiˌlæns/ in IPA).
How do you use “freelance” in a sentence?
Here is “freelance” used in a sentence: “She left her office job to become a full-time freelance writer.”
What part of speech is “freelance”?
Depending on how it is used, “freelance” can be a noun, an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “freelance” come from?
The word “freelance” dates back to around 1819.
Is “freelance” a common word?
“Freelance” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “freelance” have?
“Freelance” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who works independently for different clients rather than being employed long-term by one company.
What is the difference between freelance and self-employed?
Freelance specifically describes someone who works independently for multiple different clients rather than one employer, often on a project-by-project basis. Self-employed is the broader legal and tax term covering anyone who runs their own business, including freelancers, sole traders, and business owners with staff.
Is freelance a job title or a way of working?
Freelance describes a way of working rather than a specific job title; a person can freelance as a writer, designer, developer, or in almost any profession. The word functions as a noun for the person, an adjective describing the work arrangement, and a verb for the act of working this way.
What is the difference between freelance and contractor?
Freelance usually implies short-term, often creative or knowledge-based work for several clients at once, while contractor is a wider term that can include longer, single-client engagements in construction, IT, or other trades. In practice the terms overlap heavily and are often used interchangeably.