The Free Dictionary review
A broad free reference service with offline access, translations, and specialist dictionaries.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
The Free Dictionary is a reference service from Farlex, Inc. for looking up words, synonyms, translations, idioms, and specialist terminology. It combines dictionary and thesaurus lookup with medical, legal, science, financial, and idiom dictionaries, plus example sentences, etymologies, audio pronunciations, and word content. It is suited to users who want one free service for general reference, language lookup, and specialized terminology across several devices.
The published plans show a free tier with online and offline dictionary access and translations into 40+ languages. That tier contains advertising. The ad-free upgrade removes advertising in the iOS app, giving iOS users a paid way to change the reading experience without changing the listed reference feature set. The pricing model is therefore straightforward for users who value free access and acceptable for iOS users who specifically want to remove ads. Those seeking a paid plan with broader feature additions should look elsewhere.
Platform coverage is a major part of the product’s appeal. The service is available on the web, iOS, Android, and macOS, with bookmarks synchronized across devices. Mobile apps add offline access, pronunciation audio, voice search, translations, and word games, while API calls from other apps provide an integration path. Its breadth extends beyond basic definitions into specialist dictionaries and daily word content. Pick The Free Dictionary for wide, free reference coverage across platforms; choose a narrower dictionary if you want a simpler interface centered only on definitions or a paid upgrade beyond iOS ad removal.
The Free Dictionary pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Dictionary, thesaurus, specialist dictionaries, and translation lookup
- Offline access, audio pronunciations, voice search, and synchronized bookmarks
- Available on web, iOS, Android, macOS, and through an API
- Where it doesn't
- The free plan includes advertising
- The ad-free upgrade is limited to the iOS app
- API access is described for calls from other apps, not a broader integration suite
The Free Dictionary fact sheet, pricing and score →
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