1
as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
an illiberal society that viewed any artistic depiction of the nude as inherently indecent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in narrow
unwilling to grant other people social rights or to accept other viewpoints
some of the more illiberal residents were opposed to having a hospice for AIDS patients in the neighborhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vulgar
archaic
lacking in refinement or good taste
people who had been scorned as illiberal because they were poor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illiberal
National conservatism is notable for being a particularly illiberal ideology in many ways, one of which is the rejection of individualism.
—
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
The trio – who had never appeared together in public before – formed the defiant face of an emerging bloc of illiberal leaders determined to push back against Western rules and tilt the global balance of power in their favor.
—Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
This is no longer a matter of liberal drift but an illiberal takeover—the Berkeley hippies who moved into faculty lounges decades ago would now be considered retrograde white supremacists—a structural crisis.
—Ilya Shapiro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
There are checks in place to prevent the kind of turn toward illiberal authoritarianism that has occurred elsewhere in Europe.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for illiberal
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
The trio – who had never appeared together in public before – formed the defiant face of an emerging bloc of illiberal leaders determined to push back against Western rules and tilt the global balance of power in their favor.
—Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
This is no longer a matter of liberal drift but an illiberal takeover—the Berkeley hippies who moved into faculty lounges decades ago would now be considered retrograde white supremacists—a structural crisis.
—Ilya Shapiro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
There are checks in place to prevent the kind of turn toward illiberal authoritarianism that has occurred elsewhere in Europe.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for illiberal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illiberal
Adjective
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Aquila served as a parochial vicar in two parishes from 1976 to 1982 and then as pastor at Denver’s Guardian Angels Parish from 1982 to 1987.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
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Or if that is not parochial enough, there are some decent Carabao Cup ties on Tuesday, with Manchester United’s conquerors Grimsby Town going to Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace hosting Millwall, a replay of last season’s bruising FA Cup clash.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Inflation could feature heavily in midterm elections next year, as the Republican Party looks to defend narrow majorities in the House and Senate.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
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The meandering layout of Milan predates cars, so expect to get your steps in on the narrow and winding roads.—
Abbey Hudetz,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Colorado has condemned a vulgar chant its fans directed at BYU during its football team’s 24-21 loss Saturday at Folsom Field.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Protecting speech for all requires great tolerance for the vulgar, rude, offensive, angry, mean and, yes, even hateful.—
The Detroit News Editorial Board,
Twin Cities,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Out-of-state travel that year, though, saw a small decrease compared to 2023.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
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Ohio State University, which enrolls the most international students in Ohio, reported a 37% drop in first-year international students and a slightly smaller number of total international students this year.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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We’ve all been cast adrift in the cognitive dissonance between the visceral seriousness of the crime and the abject flippancy of the shooter, the brutality of the shooting and the memes reacting to Kirk’s bigoted views.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
18 Sep. 2025
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Antoni, who once ran a Twitter account featuring bigoted attacks and conspiracy theories and who economists across the political spectrum say is unqualified, has suggested suspending the Bureau’s monthly job report altogether.—
Marianne Cooper,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And honestly, Chris, that is just a really crass thing to say.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
25 Sep. 2025
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This joyless, crass Platinum Dunes remake (directed by Marcus Nispel) regurgitates the original’s plot with additional gore but without any of the sharp wit.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In their recommendation, Warner and Kaine said Nachmanoff supervised a team that represented more than 2,500 clients accused of federal violations ranging from petty offenses to capital murder.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
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Phantom Thread is a masterfully claustrophobic portrayal of a ’50s fashion house, as well as a nuanced depiction of a petty despot ruling over his small kingdom.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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How has Fawlty Towers, one of the most offbeat, provincial, inappropriate, and heavily excoriated shows of all time, remained popular for 50 years?—
Jonathan Margolis,
Air Mail,
20 Sep. 2025
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For others from more distant regions, including Denizli and other provincial hubs, the focus was on expanding business.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illiberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illiberal. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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