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Definition of liberalnext
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liberal

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective liberal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of liberal are bountiful, generous, and munificent. While all these words 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

When could bountiful be used to replace liberal?

The words bountiful and liberal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.

children spoiled by bountiful presents

When is generous a more appropriate choice than liberal?

The synonyms generous and liberal are sometimes interchangeable, but generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.

a generous offer of help

In what contexts can munificent take the place of liberal?

While the synonyms munificent and liberal are close in meaning, munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.

a munificent foundation grant

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of liberal
Adjective
Trump has previously criticized the institution as too liberal. Reuters wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026 The scene from my dream is commonplace not only in my adopted home, the United States, and other liberal democracies, but even, in a constrained fashion, in the neighboring Turkey and Pakistan. Arash Azizi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
Police have not released any further information about Corral, but angry social media users denounced him as a leftist and a liberal. Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025 Consider that in the United States, a liberal is someone who stands on the political left, probably voted for Joe Biden, and may subscribe to some lite socialism (another Humpty Dumpty term, but one at a time). Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for liberal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liberal
Adjective
  • Her authority has been challenged in several high-profile cases, diminishing hopes in both progressive and populist MAGA circles for tough antitrust enforcement.
    Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
  • According to much of progressive ideology, we are supposed to think about identity all of the time.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • In the last minute 30 second of cooking, add in a generous sprinkling of a melty shredded cheese (like Cheddar or Monterey Jack) and hot sauce, to taste.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
  • South Carolina doesn’t tax Social Security benefits; there are generous retirement income deductions; and the cost of living across the state is 6 percent lower than the national average.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Along with its dozens of cupcakes flavors, Jen's Sweet Treats also quickly became known for charitable efforts.
    Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • However, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has already blasted Peltola as a radical leftist in a new 45-second ad.
    Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Rodríguez is a hard-line leftist with deeply anti-American views learned from her father, a Marxist guerrilla commander who died at the hands of Venezuelan security forces.
    Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • This technology offers a foundational step toward electromagnetic safety while preserving the aesthetic and functional integrity of modern architecture.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Feb. 2026
  • An evolution of fall’s modern prep trend, the spring 2026 runways swapped country codes for literary references, grounding the collections with intellectual flair.
    Minty Mellon, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Go to the Beach While the arts are an important part of the fabric of New Smyrna Beach, its laidback beaches define daily life here, and the town has plentiful surf shops and casual restaurants to show for it.
    Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Lithium, a soft metal necessary for the production of rechargeable batteries, is plentiful in the brine buried in the Smackover Formation, which stretches from east Texas through southern Arkansas and east to the Florida panhandle.
    DIDI TANG, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • We are mostly meant to feel the movie, to allow our souls to be prodded and hugged tightly by this benevolent picture’s generous assessment of the most dangerous animal to ever exist on the planet.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Trump should ask himself whether stirring a hornet’s nest serves any purpose other than pointlessly alienating a benevolent neighbor that is beginning to pad its insurance policy by reaching out to non-hemispheric powers.
    Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Slawinski, their third-round pick last year, was the best prospect of the group, a highly athletic lefty with three pitches, including a low-90s fastball with good carry and a slider that projects to plus.
    Keith Law, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The lefty had 76 strikeouts in 73 innings.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Liberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liberal. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.

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