Emancipate: meaning, definitions and examples

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emancipate

[ ɪˈmænsɪˌpeɪt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

society

To set free, especially from legal, social, or political restrictions. To liberate or release from bondage, oppression, or control. To free from the limitations of traditional roles or expectations.

Synonyms

free, liberate, release, unshackle.

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Word Description / Examples
emancipate

Typically used in a historical or legal context to describe the act of freeing someone from legal, social, or political restrictions. It often refers to large groups or systemic liberation.

  • The Emancipation Proclamation emancipated the slaves in the United States
  • She was emancipated from her controlling guardians by the court
liberate

Often used in a military or political context to describe freeing a country, city, or group of people from oppression or occupation. Can also be used more generally for freeing someone from limiting situations.

  • The army liberated the city from enemy forces
  • She felt liberated after quitting her stressful job
free

A general term used in everyday language as well as formal contexts to indicate the act of making someone or something free from constraints, imprisonment, or control.

  • He was finally free after years in prison
  • The activists worked hard to free the hostages
release

Used in both formal and informal contexts to indicate the act of letting someone go from confinement, imprisonment, or any kind of restraint. Also common in legal settings for describing prisoners being released.

  • The prisoner was released after serving his sentence
  • They released the animal back into the wild
unshackle

More dramatic and literary term, often used metaphorically to describe freeing someone from mental, emotional, or societal restrictions. Can also refer to the literal removal of shackles.

  • The new policy aims to unshackle the economy
  • He felt unshackled from his past regrets

Examples of usage

  • He was determined to emancipate the slaves and grant them their freedom.
  • The women's rights movement fought to emancipate women from societal constraints.
  • After years of therapy, she finally emancipated herself from her traumatic past.

Translations

Translations of the word "emancipate" in other languages:

🇵🇹 emancipar

🇮🇳 मुक्त करना

🇩🇪 emanzipieren

🇮🇩 membebaskan

🇺🇦 емансипувати

🇵🇱 emancypować

🇯🇵 解放する (かいほうする)

🇫🇷 émanciper

🇪🇸 emancipar

🇹🇷 özgürleştirmek

🇰🇷 해방하다 (haebanghada)

🇸🇦 يحرر (yuḥarrir)

🇨🇿 emancipovat

🇸🇰 emancipovať

🇨🇳 解放 (jiěfàng)

🇸🇮 emancipirati

🇮🇸 frelsa

🇰🇿 босату

🇬🇪 გათავისუფლება (gatavisupleba)

🇦🇿 azad etmək

🇲🇽 emancipar

Etymology

The word 'emancipate' comes from the Latin word 'emancipatus', which is the past participle of 'emancipare', meaning 'to set free'. The concept of emancipation has been central to many historical movements, including the abolition of slavery and the fight for equal rights. Emancipation is a powerful idea that represents liberation and freedom from oppression.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #25,306, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.