libertarian

noun

lib·er·tar·i·an | \ˌli-bər-ˈter-ē-ən,

-ˈte-rē-\

Definition of libertarian

1 : an advocate of the doctrine of free will

2a : a person who upholds the principles of individual liberty especially of thought and action

b capitalized : a member of a political party advocating libertarian principles

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Single-party rule since Singapore gained independence in 1965 has ensured stability and fostered a security state that is among the world’s most efficient, although sometimes it is decried by civil libertarians as repressive. — Washington Post, "Ties with US, North Korea make Singapore optimum summit site," 12 May 2018 Comey, obviously, doesn’t see it that way, and in general, federal prosecutors are not major civil libertarians. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "James Comey isn’t the hero we deserve. But he’s the hero we need," 18 Apr. 2018 That, at least, is how many libertarians, extreme conservatives and anti-government campaigners view it. — Max Strasser, Newsweek, "For Militiamen, the Fight for Cliven Bundy's Ranch Is Far From Over," 23 Apr. 2014 Having already culled the list of potential nominees, Leo is now focusing on rallying conservatives and libertarians around the eventual pick. — Noah Bierman, latimes.com, "Trump's court appointments have been the smoothest part of his presidency — because he's had some help," 3 July 2018 Free-market ideology was dominant among the politicians of the day, Clintonian New Democrats and Gingrichian libertarians alike. — Micah L. Sifry, The New Republic, "Escape From Facebookistan," 21 May 2018 Guaranteed income, reconceived as basic income, is gaining support across the spectrum, from libertarians to labor leaders. — Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, "Who Really Stands to Win from Universal Basic Income?," 24 Mar. 2014 When Coinbase launched, bitcoin was little known outside a small circle of enthusiasts, many of them libertarians inspired by the idea of a currency outside government control. — Alexander Osipovich, WSJ, "Can the Biggest U.S. Bitcoin Exchange Win Over Wall Street?," 27 May 2018 The ruling horrified civil libertarians at the time and has been likened by modern legal historians to the Dred Scott decision that upheld slavery. — Ray Locker, USA TODAY, "Supreme Court overrules Korematsu case that upheld World War II Japanese American incarceration," 26 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'libertarian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.