Unencumbered Meaning
/ˌʌnɪnˈkʌmbəd/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjNot burdened with worries, cares or responsibilities.
adjFree of encumbrance.
Sentence Examples
Linguistic resources are far more valuable if they are unencumbered by share-alike or viral licences.
Life is best lived unencumbered by materialism.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Because she had no debts, mortgages, or other burdens, she felt ____ and light.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She enjoyed the feeling of traveling ____, with only a small backpack and no other heavy luggage today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English encumbered English unencumbered From un- + encumbered.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"This difference operates in favor of socialism, not only because speculation about general principles provides an opportunity for the play of the imagination of those who are unencumbered by much knowledge of the facts of present-day life […]"
— 1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 428:
"Now he knew that something more than revenge had prompted Rokoff to pitch him overboard—the Russian had managed to obtain possession of the papers Tarzan had wrested from him at Bou Saada. The ape-man swore softly, and let his coat and shirt sink into the Atlantic. Before many hours he had divested himself of his remaining garments, and was swimming easily and unencumbered toward the east."
— 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 117:
"That large room had always awed Ivor: even as a child he had never wanted to play in it, for all that it was so limitless, the parquet floor so vast and shiny and unencumbered, the windows so wide and light with the fairy expanse of Kensington Gardens."
— 1922, Michael Arlen, “1/1/3”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
"The commuters from the suburbs come unencumbered with luggage, children and prams, and can almost be relied upon to find their way blindfold to their trains."
— 1962 April, J. N. Faulkner, “Summer Saturday at Waterloo”, in Modern Railways, page 258:
""For myself, because of the baggage of 30 years of balkanisation, I think the elegant solution is to take operations back into the public sector. It will mean you can have a whole-industry approach to running the railway, unencumbered by contractual differences.""
— 2025 February 19, Paul Clifton, “I am absolutely committed to reforming the railway”, in RAIL, number 1029, page 41:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Because she had no debts, mortgages, or other burdens, she felt ____ and light.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She enjoyed the feeling of traveling ____, with only a small backpack and no other heavy luggage today.