Liberate
/ˈlɪbəˌreɪt/
verbB2
Definition
Liberate means to make a person, group, or place free from being controlled, kept captive, or limited. It often refers to freeing people from unfair rules, danger, or imprisonment. It can also mean freeing ideas or feelings from limits.
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See It in Action
To free someone or a place from control or imprisonment
- •The army helped liberate the town from the enemy.
- •She was liberated from prison after new evidence was found.
- •The people celebrated when their country was liberated.
To free ideas, feelings, or actions from limits
- •The artist wanted to liberate creativity by breaking old rules.
- •Meditation can help liberate your mind from stress.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "liberate" like "free" (A1 word), but more formal and often about serious situations like war or captivity
- ✓Picture a bird flying out of a cage after the door opens—now it can fly anywhere it wants
- ✓It's the feeling when you stop feeling trapped or controlled and can finally choose what you want to do
- ✓Sounds like "LIB-uh-rate" → imagine a library where all the books are unlocked and you can take any book freely
- ✓Remember stories or movies where heroes free people from prison or bad rulers
- ✓NOT like "escape" (which is often sudden and secret), "liberate" is more about official or clear freedom given or taken away from control
- ✓NOT like "release" (which can mean just letting go), "liberate" means freeing with a strong idea of removing control or danger
Try Other Words
- •Release: to let go or set free (Use when the action is less formal or less about removing control)
- •Free: to stop holding someone or something (Use in everyday situations)
- •Rescue: to save from danger (Use when focusing on saving from harm)
- •Emancipate: to free from legal or social restrictions (Use in formal or legal contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "liber-" (from Latin meaning free) + "-ate" (a verb suffix meaning to cause or make)
- •Etymology: From Latin "liberare," meaning to set free or deliver
- •Historical development: Used since the 16th century to mean freeing from slavery or control
- •Modern usage: Used for freeing people, places, or ideas from control, danger, or limits
Reflect & Connect
•What kinds of situations in your life or history can you describe using the word "liberate"?
•How does the idea of being liberated feel different from just being "free"?
Fill in the blanks
1.The soldiers worked hard to ___ the city ___ enemy control during the war.
2.When someone is ___ from unfair rules, they can make their own choices.
3.To ___ creativity, sometimes you need to forget old habits and try new things.
4.The word "liberate" is different from "escape" because it usually means ___ freedom is given or taken officially.
5.People often feel ___ after being liberated from fear or danger.
6.The government promised to ___ the people from strict laws that limited their speech.
7.When you ___ a prisoner, you are removing their ___, not just letting them go for a short time.