toll-free

4 synonyms and 4 antonyms for toll-free, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Of a telephone number, free to call, with the cost paid by the person or business being called rather than the caller.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

freephone free-to-call 0800 number 1-800 number

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Of a telephone number, free to call, with the cost paid by the person or business being called rather than the caller.

“Customers can reach support on a toll-free number.”

freephone free-to-call 0800 number 1-800 number

Opposites

premium rate chargeable

2. adjective

Of a road, bridge or tunnel, carrying no toll charge for use.

“The eastern crossing is toll-free after ten at night.”

Opposites

tolled toll road

How to use toll-free

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

toll-free number toll-free hotline call toll-free toll-free line

Chiefly American English; British and Irish writing prefers "freephone". Hyphenated in both adjective and adverb use.

Etymology

Formed from toll and -free. Compare Saterland Frisian tolfräi, West Frisian tolfrij, Dutch tolvrij, German zollfrei, Swedish tullfri, and Norwegian tollfri, all meaning “toll-free”.

Full origin of toll-free →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between toll-free and freephone?

None in meaning — they are the American and British names for the same thing. Toll-free numbers in North America begin 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888; UK freephone numbers begin 0800 or 0808.

Are toll-free numbers really free?

They are free from landlines, and now free from UK and US mobiles as well. The costs that catch people out are calling one from abroad, which is usually not covered and sometimes blocked entirely, and calling from a hotel phone that adds its own surcharge.

People also searched

freephone chargeable

Nearby words

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