freestyle

American  

[free-stahyl] / ˈfriˌstaɪl /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• freestyler noun

Etymology

Origin of freestyle

First recorded in 1930–35; free + style

Example Sentences

He first tried sumo aged seven, after also practicing judo and freestyle wrestling.

From BBC

Yu burst onto the world scene in Singapore by becoming the youngest swimmer in history to win a medal at the World Aquatic Championships, taking bronze as part of China's 4x200m freestyle relay team.

From Barron's

Titmus won 400m freestyle gold at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, but lost her world record to Canadian phenomenon Summer McIntosh earlier this year.

From Barron's

Goblen’s manner of writing is closer to free jazz or freestyle hip-hop than traditional drama.

From Los Angeles Times

This time I swam the corkscrew, a crazy stroke my kids learned at summer camp, where you do a freestyle stroke, roll into a back stroke, then over again into a freestyle stroke.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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