Phrase guide

free enterprise

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An economic system of business governed by the laws of supply and demand with minimal government interference, regulation, or subsidy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an economy that relies chiefly on market forces to allocate goods and resources and to determine prices

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: market economy, private enterprise, laissez-faire economy

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: economy, economic system

Narrower terms: capitalism, capitalist economy

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: empresa lliure — economic system
  • Chinese Mandarin: 自由企業 /自由企业 (zìyóu qǐyè) — economic system
  • Dutch: vrij ondernemerschap — economic system
  • Finnish: vapaa yrittäjyys — economic system
  • French: libre entreprise — economic system
  • German: freie Marktwirtschaft — economic system
  • Polish: wolna przedsiębiorczość — economic system