free agent

noun

: a professional athlete (such as a baseball player) who is free to negotiate a contract with any team
free agency noun

Examples of free agent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But money doesn't equal quality, particularly as players' age, which is what happens when organizations become reliant on free agents. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 For some of their impending free agents, who spoke highly of the organization, that meant uncertainty in the immediate aftermath. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Other impending free agents are infielder Miguel Rojas, utility player Kiké Hernández, and relievers Kris Bubic, Brusdar Graterol, Eric Lauer, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 Other notable free agents Beyond those four stars, few categories of free agents seem likely to impact the 2027 season. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for free agent

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of free agent was in 1955

Rhymes for free agent

See All Rhymes for free agent

Browse Nearby Words

free
free agent
free air
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Free agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20agent. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All