verb B1 Intermediate Uncommon

liberate

LIH-buh-rayt

Liberate (verb) means to set someone or something free from confinement, control, or oppression. Example: “Allied troops liberated the city after months of occupation.”

verb

To set someone or something free from confinement, control, or oppression.

"Allied troops liberated the city after months of occupation."

"The charity works to liberate victims of forced labour."

To release a substance or energy through a chemical or physical process.

"The reaction liberates heat as the gases combine."

How to use liberate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo free someone or something — from captivity, oppression, or, in chemistry, to release a substance.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with deliberate — different Latin roots entirely, despite looking similar.

Easily confused with

deliberate →

Common pairings

liberate a country liberate energy liberate someone from oppression

Word forms

liberated past tense, liberate past tense, liberate plural, liberated plural, liberates plural, liberates singular, liberated singular, liberate singular, liberatest singular, liberatedst singular, liberateth singular

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Test yourself on “liberate” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Allied troops _____ the city after months of occupation.

Etymology

A learned borrowing from Latin liberatus, "set free," the past participle of libero, "to free" — ultimately from liber, "free." Not related to deliberate, despite the visual overlap.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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befree free absolve deliver discharge disentangle extricate let go let loose loose release set free

Antonyms

capture confine imprison leash restrain

Related words

give end free pay bring clear shot provide

Rhymes for liberate

ate date rate mate fate abate slate plate state grate create update

See all rhymes for liberate →

Frequently asked questions

What does “liberate” mean?

The word “liberate” means to set someone or something free from confinement, control, or oppression. In plain terms, to free someone or something — from captivity, oppression, or, in chemistry, to release a substance.

How do you pronounce “liberate”?

“Liberate” is pronounced LIH-buh-rayt (/ˈlɪbəˌɹeɪt/ in IPA).

How do you use “liberate” in a sentence?

Here is “liberate” used in a sentence: “Allied troops liberated the city after months of occupation.”

What is another word for “liberate”?

Words with a similar meaning to “liberate” include befree, free, absolve, deliver, discharge and disentangle.

What is the opposite of “liberate”?

The opposite of “liberate” — its antonyms — are capture, confine, imprison, leash and restrain.

What part of speech is “liberate”?

“Liberate” is a verb.

Where does the word “liberate” come from?

The word “liberate” comes from Latin. A learned borrowing from Latin liberatus, "set free," the past participle of libero, "to free" — ultimately from liber, "free." Not related to deliberate, despite the visual overlap.

Is “liberate” a common word?

“Liberate” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

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