1
as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
an illiberal society that viewed any artistic depiction of the nude as inherently indecent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in narrow
unwilling to grant other people social rights or to accept other viewpoints
some of the more illiberal residents were opposed to having a hospice for AIDS patients in the neighborhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vulgar
archaic
lacking in refinement or good taste
people who had been scorned as illiberal because they were poor
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illiberal
Its opposite—illiberal—means stingy, narrow-minded, intolerant, provincial, unenlightened, and using government to insure the flourishing of only the few.
—
Harper’s Magazine, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
The rise of chauvinistic, illiberal parties and movements is an international phenomenon.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
Today, the most obvious examples of this backsliding can be found in Asia, where an increasingly assertive China is attempting to redraw the regional rules of the road, and in Europe, where Russian rubles and wan Western politicians have helped prompt the rise of illiberal parties.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
The question of whether India will be an illiberal great power thus remains open.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for illiberal
Harper’s Magazine, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
The rise of chauvinistic, illiberal parties and movements is an international phenomenon.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
Today, the most obvious examples of this backsliding can be found in Asia, where an increasingly assertive China is attempting to redraw the regional rules of the road, and in Europe, where Russian rubles and wan Western politicians have helped prompt the rise of illiberal parties.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
The question of whether India will be an illiberal great power thus remains open.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for illiberal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illiberal
Adjective
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South suburban committee members, meanwhile, showed parochial loyalty to Kelly.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
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In a chamber fraught with parochial interests and personalities in spades, the sprint to finish this by the July 4 holiday is going to be clipped.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Career growth inside companies still follows a narrow script—progress often defined by vertical movement alone.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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The narrow, strong currents flow quickly, faster at times than an Olympic swimmer, and perpendicular to the coastline.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Her choice to respond by telling me to 'shut the f*** up' and to 'calm my p*****' was vulgar, dismissive and escalated the issue entirely.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
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As deadly wildfires raged across Southern California in January, a Los Angeles city official lamented to the city council and others how they were forced to listen to hateful, vulgar language from some members of the public.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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On a sunny morning in late June, his exercise regimen began with small steps: His right foot keeping pace with the treadmill, his left foot stationary, off to the side.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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Going directly from cooking inside the house and only trying my own food to trying small restaurants and traveling within a week’s span was a blessing.—
Kenneth J. Williams Jr,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In 2016, Trump, while running for President, was also suing a restaurateur for cutting ties over his bigoted comments about Mexican immigrants.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
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Anti-Islamophobia advocates called the bigoted attacks typical of what American Muslims in public life have come to expect.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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The idea that women should lose the right to vote is shaping up to be more than a crass punchline or a dystopian viewpoint, but one that Pete Hegseth, a member of the president’s cabinet, appears to agree with.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
12 Aug. 2025
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To achieve this encyclopedic scope, Joyce opened every door between the divine thought of Thomas Aquinas and crass Dublin newspaper ads.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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And the conflict between the law-abiding brother and his petty thief sibling isn’t over a herd of cattle or gold mine but over a screenplay an agent promises will bring them fame and fortune.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
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Weeks before the closing announcement, blame fell on the store’s lack of shopping carts, the closure of self-checkout lanes and a visible rise in shoplifting and petty crime.—
Gloria Ngwa,
Twin Cities,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The United Church of Rogers Park’s nearly 100-year-old building, with its dark brown wood paneling and vintage casement windows, is an atmospheric stand-in for a provincial Russian household around the turn of the 20th century.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
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But Fan’s background – provincial, not well off or highly educated – may be contributing to official disquiet over her popularity, adding an extra layer of scrutiny.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illiberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illiberal. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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