Definition

1. Verb:
   • To free from legal, social, or political restrictions; to liberate: The core meaning of "emancipate" is to set someone free from a state of control, bondage, or oppression, particularly from slavery or servitude.
   • To grant equal rights and freedom: It also means to formally give a person or group the full rights and status of a free citizen, especially after a period of being denied those rights.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The proclamation aimed to emancipate all enslaved people in the rebellious states.
  • The movement fought to emancipate women from restrictive social conventions.
  • Upon turning 18, he was legally emancipated from his parents' control.

Advanced Usage

• "to emancipate oneself from": to free oneself intellectually or psychologically from restrictive ideas or influences.
  • The philosopher encouraged people to emancipate themselves from dogma and think independently.

Variants and Related Words

• Emancipation (n): The act or process of setting free.
  • The Emancipation Proclamation was a pivotal document in American history.
• Emancipator (n): A person who emancipates.
  • He is remembered as a great emancipator.

Synonyms

• Liberate: To set free from imprisonment or oppression.
• Free: To release from confinement or slavery.
• Manumit: (Formal, historical) To release from slavery.

Related Phrases

• Emancipated minor: (Legal term) A minor who is granted the legal rights and responsibilities of an adult before reaching the age of majority.
  • The court declared her an emancipated minor so she could sign her own contracts.

Related Idioms

• • "Break the chains of...": To free oneself from something oppressive.

    • She sought to break the chains of tradition that bound her.

Verb

1. free from slavery or servitude
2. give equal rights to; of women and minorities