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freedom of the seas
noun phrase
: the right of a merchant ship to travel any waters except territorial waters either in peace or war
Examples of freedom of the seas in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, issues such as freedom of the seas and outrage at German atrocities spurred it to enter the fight.
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Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023
In the next two years, tensions escalated between the United States and Germany over violations of neutrality and freedom of the seas, coming to a head with the loss of American lives in the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915.
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Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 June 2024
Throughout the 20th century, the freedom of the seas was guaranteed by the two great ocean-going democracies: Britain and the United States.
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Jim Talent, National Review, 6 Jan. 2024
The stakes today involve not just control of undersea oil and gas reserves, fisheries, and commercial sea-lanes but also the viability of the troubled U.S.-Philippine alliance and even the global legal principle of freedom of the seas.
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Barry Eichengreen, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freedom of the seas.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1917, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of freedom of the seas was
in 1917
Dictionary Entries Near freedom of the seas
Cite this Entry
“Freedom of the seas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freedom%20of%20the%20seas. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Legal Definition
freedom of the seas
: the right of a merchant ship to travel any waters except territorial waters either in peace or war
More from Merriam-Webster on freedom of the seas
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about freedom of the seas
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