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 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 calledall-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 Words From

• free·styl·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of freestyle¹

First recorded in 1930–35; free + style

Example Sentences

“There’d be lots of house parties and bands would play in the backyard. I would freestyle rap a lot at the parties. It was my party trick. If it was a house show, I’d be like, can I get on the mic? Some bands were playing and I’d just like yelp words.”

From Los Angeles Times

She won freestyle and team golds and individual silver at Beijing 2008 before claiming three golds at both London 2012 and Rio 2016.

From BBC

“I wouldn’t talk politics with him, I’d just try to get him to let his hair down, literally, and do some freestyle raps with me, then we’d prank call his son Eric. Let’s make podcasts fun again!”

From Los Angeles Times

By age 14, Becky G had reached a record deal with Kemosabe/RCA Records after uploading a zealous rap freestyle over Jay Z and Kanye West’s “Otis” beat on YouTube.

From Los Angeles Times

It wouldn’t be long before she itemized her career aspirations in her 2013 JLo-inspired freestyle, “Becky From the Block,” asserting “I won’t stop till I get to the top.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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