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.
That stint as a free agent, which finally ended when Wrexham, then of third-tier League One, came calling in late October 2024, was not the only time James has had to dig deep into his resolve. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026 Isiah Pacheco departed Kansas City for the Detroit Lions, and 31-year-old Kareem Hunt is still a free agent. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 16 Aug. 2026 Zach Wilson, acquired as a free agent by New Orleans this offseason, began making his case to become the backup to Tyler Shough. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 Highsmith is now a free agent, after being limited to seven games last season, all with the Suns, after working back from last summer’s knee surgery. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 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

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Browse Nearby Words

free
free agent
free air
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Cite this Entry

“Free agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20agent. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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