The Meaning of Freelancer: What It Is and How To Use It

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Today, our word of the day is freelancer. This article will teach you about what the word freelancer means and what freelance work is. Then, it will provide examples of how to use the word freelancer in a sentence. 

Finally, we will cover related topics to the definition of freelancer, such as translations, synonyms, and antonyms.

Do you prefer freelance or salaried work, or are you unsure? Read on to find out.

What Does Freelancer Mean?

According to Dictionary, the definition of freelancer is a person who does freelance work, a type of work in which a person sells their goods or services by the hour or job, and who is not a regularly salaried employee of a single employer

The pronunciation of freelance is ˈfriˌlæns.

How Can You Use Freelancer in a Sentence?

Below, you will find several example sentences that contain the word freelancer. 

As you read these examples of freelancer, see if you can figure out what field or type of work the freelancer does. Can you come up with your own example sentences for the word freelancer?

Freelancer in a Sentence: Example 1

The freelance writer used to enjoy working the gig economy, but as his medical bills began to pile up, he wished he had the top-tier health insurance that many companies offered to full-time employees.

Question: What types of work does the freelancer do in the above sentence?

Answer: The freelancer works as a writer.

Freelancer in a Sentence: Example 2

The company hired a couple of full-time freelancers for their graphic design and web design. The freelancers liked that they could work on other projects, and the company liked the month-to-month basis of their contracts.

Question: What types of work do the freelancers do in the above sentence?

Answer: The freelancers do graphic design and web design.

Freelancer in a Sentence: Example 3

The business owners in New York hired a freelancer for their copywriting, copyediting, and proofreading but realized it would be cheaper to bring on a salaried employee for the position.

Question: What types of work does the freelancer do in the above sentence?

Answer: The freelancer works as a copywriter, copyeditor, and proofreader.

Freelancer in a Sentence: Example 4

The freelance journalist enjoyed having more than one employer. When she got frustrated with one assignment, she could take a break and do another assignment without feeling unproductive.

Question: What types of work does the freelancer do in the above sentence?

Answer: The freelancer works as a journalist.

Freelancer in a Sentence: Example 5

The freelancer relied on referrals on social media to boost his video editing small business.

Question: What types of work does the freelancer do in the above sentence?

Answer: The freelancer works as a video editor.

Freelancer in a Sentence: Example 6

The freelance worker loved the work-life balance she had – as a wedding photographer, she could take vacation whenever she wanted, or work a hundred hours a week if she wanted to.

Question: What types of work does the freelancer do in the above sentence?

Answer: The freelancer works as a wedding photographer. 

What Are Translations of Freelancer?

All over the world, people can participate in either freelance work or salaried work. If you are trying to hire a freelancer in another country, or if you are planning on working as a freelancer with people who do not speak English, you can utilize this list of translations of freelancer from Nice Translator

  • Italian: libero professionista
  • Chinese (PRC): 自由职业者
  • Hungarian: szabadúszó
  • Hebrew: סוֹפֵר בִּלתִי תָלוּי
  • Malayalam: ഫ്രീലാൻസർ
  • Portuguese (Brazil): trabalhador autonomo
  • Serbian: Фрееланцер
  • Marathi: फ्रीलांसर
  • Portuguese (Portugal): trabalhador autonomo
  • Kannada: ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರ
  • Welsh: weithwyr llawrydd
  • Korean: 프리랜서
  • Estonian: vabakutseline
  • Telugu: ఫ్రీలాన్సర్
  • French: pigiste
  • Romanian: liber profesionist
  • Hindi: फ्रीलांसर
  • Thai: นักแปลอิสระ
  • German: Freiberufler
  • Gujarati: અક્કડ
  • Amharic: ነፃ
  • Swedish: frilansare
  • Bulgarian: на свободна практика
  • Tamil: ஃப்ரீலான்ஸர்
  • Catalan: autònom
  • Japanese: フリーランサー
  • Bengali: ফ্রিল্যান্সার
  • Greek: ελεύθερος επαγγελματίας
  • Ukrainian: фрілансер
  • Arabic: مستقل
  • Urdu: فری لانس
  • Russian: фрилансер
  • Turkish: serbest çalışan
  • Polish: wolny strzelec
  • Norwegian: frilanser
  • Slovak: nezávislý pracovník
  • Chinese (Taiwan): 自由職業者
  • Latvian: ārštata cilvēks
  • Czech: nezávislý
  • Lithuanian: laisvai samdomas vertėjas
  • Slovenian: Freelancer
  • Spanish: persona de libre dedicación

What Are Synonyms of Freelancer?

There are many different ways that a person can say freelancer. If you feel you have overused the word freelancer, or if you are looking to change up your verbiage, you can utilize this list of synonyms of freelancer from Power Thesaurus.

  • apply oneself
  • be gainfully employed
  • book
  • casual
  • clear
  • condottiere
  • contract
  • dig
  • do business
  • drive
  • earn a living
  • free
  • free agent
  • free companion
  • free-standing
  • hired gun
  • independent contractor
  • independently
  • independents
  • knuckle down
  • labor
  • legionnaire
  • manage
  • mercenary
  • moonlight
  • non-staff
  • outside
  • part-time
  • part-timer
  • peg away
  • plug away
  • ply
  • punch a clock
  • rugged individualist
  • self-contained
  • self-employed
  • self-employed person
  • slave
  • soldier for hire
  • soldier of fortune
  • specialize
  • strive
  • temporary
  • toil
  • unaffiliated
  • working for oneself
  • your own boss

What Are Antonyms of Freelancer?

The opposite of a freelancer is an employee for one company. Take a look at this list from Power Thesaurus to learn about all the ways you can say the word employee.

  • agent
  • artisan
  • assistant
  • attendant
  • bartender
  • blue-collar worker
  • breadwinner
  • clerk
  • common laborer
  • desk jockey
  • domestic
  • employed
  • employee
  • employees
  • factory worker
  • full-time
  • functionary
  • hand
  • help
  • helper
  • hired hand
  • hired man
  • hireling
  • jobholder
  • labor
  • laborer
  • member of staff
  • office worker
  • officer
  • officers
  • official
  • operative
  • operator
  • people
  • person
  • personnel
  • proletarian
  • representative
  • salaried worker
  • servant
  • staff
  • staff member
  • staffer
  • toiler
  • wage earner
  • wage-earner
  • white-collar worker
  • with our app
  • worker
  • workers
  • workforce
  • working man
  • working people
  • working woman
  • workingman
  • workman
  • workmen

Conclusion

A freelancer is a person who is not a salaried employee of one company or employer but rather someone who is self-employed and works for several different people or business at an hourly, daily, or other rate. 

In many cases, artists such as graphic designers, painters, and so on are considered freelancers. 

Sources:

Freelance synonyms – 448 Words and Phrases for Freelance | Power Thesaurus 

Employee synonyms – 694 Words and Phrases for Employee | Power Thesaurus 

Freelancer | Nice Translator 

Freelance Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com