civil liberty

noun

plural civil liberties

: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's speech or actions by other individuals or by the government especially as constitutionally guaranteed (as by the U.S. Bill of Rights)

—usually plural

Examples of civil liberties include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, the right to privacy, and the right to due process of law.

—Ramon Martin

compare civil rights

civil libertarian noun

plural civil libertarians

civil libertarian adjective

… continued divisions within the GOP on civil libertarian issues.

—Ian Duncan and Lisa Mascaro

Examples of civil liberty in a Sentence

Freedom of speech is a civil liberty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Its path to passage has teetered all week in a familiar fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials' warnings about national security risks. —CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026

Its path to passage has teetered all week in a familiar fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks. —ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026

The order also states that the government may suspend or ban state contracts with AI companies that violate existing civil liberties, such as stifling freedom of speech or engaging in surveillance. —Richard Sill, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026

Documentarian Tim Gray has found AI useful in filling in the visual gaps in his World War II films, and Rhode Island courts are using facial recognition and AI to monitor people, raising civil liberties concerns about how the data collected is being used. —Kathleen Hill, The Providence Journal, 11 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

civil liberty

noun

: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's pursuits (as in expressing thoughts, practicing a religion, or pursuing a living) by individuals or especially by the government and especially as constitutionally guaranteed

—usually used in pl. see also civil right