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

Aida Ashouri, 43, a former deputy city attorney and immigration and legal aid attorney, has centered her campaign on civil liberties, immigrant rights, tenant protections and government transparency. —Teresa Liu, Daily News, 29 May 2026

Opposition from industry, civil liberty groups The bill has faced opposition from civil liberty and LGBTQ+ groups as well as trade groups representing social media companies including Meta, TikTok and Snap Inc. —Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026

Little attention has been given to a state budget proposal that has rallied opposition from LGBTQ, civil liberties, immigration and reproductive rights activists. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026

Guardrails, Accountability And Trust Power without accountability is a liability, particularly in public-safety contexts where AI decisions can affect civil liberties. —Calvin Yadav, Forbes.com, 26 May 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