liberal

1 of 2

adjective

lib·​er·​al ˈli-b(ə-)rəl How to pronounce liberal (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or based on the liberal arts
liberal education
b
archaic : of or befitting a man of free birth
2
a
: marked by generosity : openhanded
a liberal giver
b
: given or provided in a generous and openhanded way
a liberal meal
c
: ample, full
3
obsolete : lacking moral restraint : licentious
4
: not literal or strict : loose
a liberal translation
5
: broad-minded
especially : not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms
6
a
: of, favoring, or based upon the principles of liberalism
b
capitalized : of or constituting a political party advocating or associated with the principles of political liberalism
especially : of or constituting a political party in the United Kingdom associated with ideals of individual especially economic freedom, greater individual participation in government, and constitutional, political, and administrative reforms designed to secure these objectives
liberally adverb
liberalness noun

liberal

2 of 2

noun

lib·​er·​al ˈli-b(ə-)rəl How to pronounce liberal (audio)
: a person who is liberal: such as
a
: one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways
b
capitalized : a member or supporter of a liberal political party (see liberal entry 1 sense 6)
c
: an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights
Choose the Right Synonym for liberal

liberal, generous, bountiful, munificent mean giving or given freely and unstintingly.

liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given.

a teacher liberal with her praise

generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.

a generous offer of help

bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.

children spoiled by bountiful presents

munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.

a munificent foundation grant

Examples of liberal in a Sentence

Adjective On most issues he was thought of as a generally liberal figure, but on gun control he was live-free-or-die National Rifle Association man. Jonathan Raban, Harper's, Aug. 1993
Many fishermen keep their holes from freezing over with liberal injections of antifreeze. Time, 28 Feb. 1974
Alexandra looked at him mournfully. "I try to be more liberal about such things than I used to be. I try to realize that we are not all made alike … " Willa Cather, O Pioneers!, 1913
This cost him considerable, for Dick was rather fastidious about his cigars, and wouldn't smoke the cheapest. Besides, having a liberal nature, he was generally ready to treat his companions. Horatio Alger, Ragged Dick, 1868
She is a liberal Democrat who married a conservative Republican. He made a very liberal donation to the museum. Noun a policy that is supported both by liberals and conservatives in Congress
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
An earlier version of the decision suggested that the gap between the majority and the three liberal justices had once been even wider. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2024 Three liberal justices accused the majority of overreaching and violating the principle of judicial restraint. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024 Justices, conservative and liberal, seemed to fear in letting states decide to disqualify a national candidate on the grounds of Section 3 without clear federal legislation during oral arguments in February. Gillian Brassil, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 Several conservative and liberal justices raised fundamental questions during the February 8 arguments about the fairness of Colorado effectively answering those questions for the rest of the nation. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 During oral arguments, the court’s liberal justices had voiced concerns similar to those of the conservative majority that allowing one state to disqualify a national candidate would be a recipe for disorder and confusion. USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 The three liberal justices accused their conservative colleagues of departing from the principle of judicial restraint by effectively deciding not only the Colorado case, but future challenges to a candidate's eligibility for office under Section 3. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024 And a concurrence by the three liberal Justices adds a dissonant note to what might otherwise have been a moment of rare harmony. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The criticisms of white politics (liberal and conservative) and Blaxploitative elements of entertainment culture are biting. Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2024
Noun
True liberals are for peace, and there’s no more free or peaceful activity on the planet than trade. John Tamny, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Some moderate Republicans and liberals voiced concern following her unexpected rise to state party chair amid political intrigue last month. The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024 Offending both sides of the aisle, informing neither This week, Gemini and Gab offended conservatives and liberals alike. Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 23 Feb. 2024 Haley does hold a wide lead among those who identify themselves as liberals or moderates (59%-38%) and a narrow one among those who are voting in the GOP primary for the first time (51%-49%). Susan Page, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 Force the Executive Branch departments and agencies out of DC and into America so that the headquarters of these organizations represent America rather than being infiltrated with 95% plus liberals because they are located in DC. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024 But since the 1960s, conservatives have been migrating to the Republican fold and liberals to the Democratic camp. Marshall Ingwerson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Feb. 2024 And Isgur says that in the legal world, conservatives and liberals still pride themselves on their trans-ideological friendships, as Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Antonin Scalia used to do. Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2024 Many liberals were shocked and aggrieved at Stewart’s return to the show after almost nine years. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liberal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin liberalis suitable for a freeman, generous, from liber free; perhaps akin to Old English lēodan to grow, Greek eleutheros free

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of liberal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near liberal

Cite this Entry

“Liberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liberal. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

liberal

1 of 2 adjective
lib·​er·​al ˈlib(-ə)-rəl How to pronounce liberal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or based on the liberal arts
a liberal education
2
a
: not stingy : generous
a liberal giver
b
: more than enough
a liberal allowance
3
: not strict
especially : not bound by traditional forms or beliefs
4
: of or relating to liberalism : not conservative
liberally adverb

liberal

2 of 2 noun
: a person who is liberal especially in politics

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