freestyle

[free-stahyl]

noun

1. Swimming.

   1. a competition in which any of the standard strokes may be used, according to the swimmer's choice.

   2. the crawl.

2. Wrestling.,  a style of wrestling in which the contestants are permitted to trip, tackle, and use holds below the waist.

3. a sports performance or routine featuring relatively free, unrestricted movement, or intended to demonstrate an individual's special skills or style, such as in figure skating, gymnastics, surfing, or skateboarding.

4. 1. Also called freestyle rapping. Also called freestyle rap,. a style of rap in which the topic, rhymes, and rhythm are improvised.

      Her first breakout rap album was all freestyle.

   2. a rap that is improvised throughout.

      He's known for his freestyles.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to perform a rap in which the topic, rhymes, and rhythms are improvised.

   Believe it or not, she’s freestyling all this.

freestyle

/ ˈfriːˌstaɪl /

noun

1. a competition or race, as in swimming, in which each participant may use a style of his or her choice instead of a specified style

2. 1. an amateur style of wrestling with an agreed set of rules

   2. Also called: all-in wrestling. a style of professional wrestling with no internationally agreed set of rules

3. a series of acrobatics performed in skiing, etc

4. ( as modifier )

   a freestyle event

Other Word Forms

• freestyler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of freestyle¹

First recorded in 1930–35; free + style

Example Sentences

Malice remembers when they used to “congregate down at the ocean front” and freestyle: “everybody would come out there.”

From Los Angeles Times

The 12-year-old, who missed Thursday's final, swam in the heats of the women's 4x200m freestyle relay earlier this week and therefore qualified for a medal.

From BBC

Later in the night, Morello invited them back onstage to freestyle on Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.”

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, even as Jackson is busy making fans the butt of his comedic freestyle, the person laughing the hardest is usually the roastee.

From Los Angeles Times

Years before joining the fire department, Walters helped the U.S. win the 4x200-meter freestyle relay gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bathe 
• crawl 
• dive 
• float 
• glide 
• paddle 
• submerge 
• wade