liberation

noun

lib·​er·​a·​tion ˌli-bə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: the act of liberating : the state of being liberated

2

: a movement seeking equal rights and status for a group

women's liberation

liberationist

ˌli-bə-ˈrā-sh(ə-)nist 

noun

Synonyms of liberation

• emancipation

Examples of liberation in a Sentence

The liberation of the city took weeks.

the liberation of the slaves was one of the key results of the Civil War

Recent Examples on the Web

The Great Migration gave Black Americans a chance to start over without being brutalized for the pursuit of knowledge, liberation and self-expression, and the amount of talent and history in the room is staggering. —Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026

The Movement for Black Lives even calls February Black Futures Month, focusing this year on Black Love and liberation, perfect topics for a vision board. —Leslie D. Rose, Parents, 29 Jan. 2026

International Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. —Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Jamaat sided with Pakistan during the 1971 liberation war and against Bangladeshi independence, which New Delhi supported with funds, arms, and the lives of over 3,800 Indian soldiers. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English liberacion "deliverance," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, "action of freeing," borrowed from Latin līberātiōn-, līberātiō "setting free, release, acquittal," from līberāre "to give free status to (a slave), release" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at liberate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing liberation

• liberation theology

Rhymes for liberation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

liberation

noun

lib·​er·​a·​tion ˌlib-ə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: the act of liberating : the state of being liberated

2

: a movement seeking equal rights for a group