free

Compared meaning: not controlled or limited by others (adjective).

比较义项：不受他人控制、不受限制的（形容词）。

• free 本词

  The broadest, most everyday word for not being controlled or restricted; used for people, actions, or speech in general, often with 'to do something'. Does not itself imply self-government or formal status.

  语气最宽泛、最口语化，泛指人、行为或言论不受约束或控制，常与“自由做某事”搭配；本身并不暗示自我治理或正式的地位。

  After years under strict rules, she finally felt free to make her own decisions.

  多年生活在严格的规矩之下后，她终于感到自由，可以自己做决定了。

• independent

  Emphasizes not relying on or being controlled by another person, group, or thing; often marks a change from dependence, used for people, organizations, and countries.

  强调不依赖、不受他人或他物控制，常表示从依附状态转变而来，多用于人、组织或国家。

  The company remained independent, refusing every takeover offer from larger rivals.

  这家公司始终保持独立，拒绝了各大竞争对手的每一次收购提议。

• autonomous

  Emphasizes an entity's ability to govern or operate itself, even while still part of a larger system; common for regions, institutions, and self-operating machines.

  强调某实体能够自我管理或自主运作，即使仍隶属于更大的系统之内；常用于地区、机构以及能自主运行的机器。

  The warehouse now uses autonomous robots that navigate and restock shelves without any operator.

  这家仓库现在使用自主机器人，它们无需人工操作即可自行导航并补货上架。

• unrestricted

  Formal word focused on the absence of limits on access, use, or scope, rather than on control by a person; common in official or commercial contexts.

  较正式的用词，侧重某种权限、用途或范围没有限制，而不是强调不受人控制；常见于正式或商业语境。

  Premium subscribers get unrestricted access to every video in the library.

  高级会员可以不受限制地访问资料库中的每一段视频。

Free, independent, autonomous, and unrestricted all mean not controlled by others. Free is the most general, casual choice. Independent stresses self-reliance. Autonomous describes a self-governing entity, like a region or machine. Unrestricted is formal, meaning no limits on access. Free's cost-free sense is not compared.

这些词都表示“不受他人控制”，但语气和使用场合不同：free 最口语、最宽泛，泛指人或行为不受约束；independent 强调不依赖他人、自给自足；autonomous 强调某实体（地区、系统、机器等）能自我管理、自主运作；unrestricted 语气较正式，强调某种权限或范围没有限制。这里不比较 free 表示“免费”的另一个义项（如“博物馆周日免费入场”）。

Compared meaning: not busy or currently in use (adjective).

比较义项：空闲的，可供使用的（形容词）。

• free 本词

  Describes a person, seat, or time that is not busy or occupied right now; used for someone's own availability ('I'm free') as well as unoccupied things ('a free seat').

  用来描述此刻没有被占用或不忙的人、座位或时间；既可以说某人自己“有空”（I'm free），也可以说座位等“空着”（a free seat）。

  I'm free this afternoon if you want to meet for coffee.

  如果你想约喝咖啡，我今天下午有空。

• spare

  Describes an extra item or period kept in reserve, not currently being used; typically used for objects or set-aside time, not to say a person is available (you cannot say 'I'm spare').

  用来描述额外留出、目前没有在使用的物品或时间，通常指备用的东西；不能用来说某人本身“有空”（不能说 I'm spare）。

  We keep a spare blanket in the closet in case a guest gets cold.

  我们在壁橱里放了一条备用毯子，以防客人觉得冷。

Both words describe something not busy or in use. Free describes a person, seat, or time not occupied now, as in 'I'm free'. Spare describes an extra item or period kept in reserve; you cannot say a person 'is spare'.

这两个词在描述“未被占用、可以使用”的人、时间或物品时意思相近，但语气和用法不同：free 强调此刻没有被占用或不忙，可以用来说人（I'm free）或座位等；spare 强调“多余的、备用的”，多用于物品或额外留出的时间，不能用来说某人本身“有空”。这里不比较 free 的“免费的”义项，也不比较 spare 的“瘦的”义项。

Compared meaning: to set someone or something free (verb).

比较义项：使某人／某地摆脱束缚、控制或占领而获得自由（动词）。

• free 本词

  General, everyday verb for releasing someone or something from confinement, restriction, or a burden; neutral register, used for people, animals, or abstract constraints.

  泛指使人、动物或抽象事物摆脱束缚、限制或负担的日常用词，语域中性。

  Rescuers worked for hours to free the trapped miners from the collapsed tunnel.

  救援人员花了几个小时才把被困矿工从坍塌的隧道中救出来。

• release

  Often formal or official: to let someone go from custody or detention, or to let an animal go back into the wild; also used for physically letting go.

  常用于正式／官方场合，指将某人从拘留、监禁中放出，或把动物放归野外，也可指身体上的松开、放开。

  The prison board voted to release him after five years for good behavior.

  监狱委员会投票决定因他表现良好而在五年后将他释放。

• liberate

  Formal and often political or military: to free a country, city, or people from oppression or enemy occupation, implying a struggle.

  正式用词，常用于政治或军事语境，指将一个国家、城市或民族从压迫或敌军占领下解放出来，隐含经历斗争。

  Allied forces moved north to liberate the city from enemy occupation.

  盟军向北推进，将该城市从敌军占领中解放出来。

Free, release, and liberate all mean to set someone or something free, but formality differs. Free is the general, everyday word for ending confinement or a burden. Release often means letting someone go from custody. Liberate is formal and political, freeing a country from oppression.

这三个词在本义项中都表示使人或地方摆脱束缚、控制或占领而重获自由，但正式程度和典型语境不同：free 最通用，release 偏正式／官方放行，liberate 最正式且常用于政治、军事场合。这里不比较 free 的“免费的”形容词义、release 的“发布（唱片、消息等）”义，以及 liberate 非正式的“顺手拿走”义。