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

Some of the coverage focuses on civil liberties and potential misuse of the technology, and those concerns are legitimate. — Calvin Yadav, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

The vigils symbolized the civil liberties that set Hong Kong apart from mainland China. — Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026

As Kenny Jacoby, Austin Fast and Jack Lemnus report, Flock rolled out a new tool that helps customers flag people who abuse the system, but civil liberties experts warn that the company won't require agencies to adopt it until next year. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

This impetus did not begin with the war on terror; generations of American leaders and scholars have sought to increase presidential power, drawing up mechanisms that could sideline civil liberties and intertwine military and police activities. — Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 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