illiberalism

noun

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-b(ə-)rə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce illiberalism (audio)
Definition of illiberalismnext
as in illiberality
stubborn or intolerant adherence to one's opinions or prejudices They each accused the other of a form of illiberalism.

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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 illiberalism The signal predicament of our era is the global rise of illiberalism and intolerance. — Christopher Beha, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 Journalist Anne Applebaum has documented how elites accommodate themselves to illiberalism, finding advantage in proximity to power even as institutions decay. — Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026 One of the abiding strengths of any genuinely liberal order—domestic or international—is that within it illiberalism can exist, and do damage, without posing an existential threat to it. — Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 Space warfare, cyber defense, mass migration, corruption, and illiberalism require fluency, adaptability, empathy, and collaboration. — Loree Sutton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for illiberalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illiberalism
  1. bigotry
  2. intolerance
  3. dogmatism
  4. prejudice
  5. bias
  6. partisanship
Noun
  • Caroline is reimagined, with a more prominent part in leading the family on the prairie and addressing her own bigotries and fears.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2026
  • The event is open to the public and the coalition encourages people to attend as a way of supporting each other, learn and hearing about further steps to address the issues of injustice and bigotry, according to the release.
    — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of bigotry
Noun
  • Black children experience higher rates of lactose intolerance, which meant many of my kids went the entire school day without clean, safe drinking water and instead milk that gave them an upset stomach.
    — Joe Holberg, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • High amounts of whey may cause bloating and gas, especially in those with lactose intolerance or dairy sensitivity.
    — Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 1 July 2026
Definition of intolerance
Noun
  • When authenticity becomes uncompromising, candor turns belligerent, consistency becomes rigid, or principled decision-making morphs into dogmatism, even the best intentions can backfire.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • By staying so close to black metal’s core sound, Marchenko does more to undermine the dogmatism—both racial and aesthetic—of Vikernes and his ilk than a more obviously experimental project might.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of dogmatism
Noun
  • The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that the plaintiffs cannot refile.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Older Americans describe Israel as a precarious refuge against rising antisemitism, while some younger Jews say its military actions fuel prejudice, pushing them away from synagogues and institutional Jewish life.
    — Giovanna Dell’Orto, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of prejudice
Noun
  • The key to passing legislation is treating all energy equally and making clear that final permits cannot be undone based on political bias on the left or the right.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 9 July 2026
  • Why LLMs struggle with spreadsheets Part of why structured data has garnered less attention is a very human bias, argues Boris van Breugel, a senior AI researcher based in Amsterdam.
    — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 9 July 2026
Definition of bias
Noun
  • After decades of economic upheaval and partisanship, there are simply no easy answers to our country’s vast array of problems.
    — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 2026
  • Chair Brendan Carr has described it as a procedural issue, but Commissioner Anna Gomez has accused the FCC of political partisanship.
    — BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of partisanship

Browse Nearby Words

illiberal
illiberalism
illiberality
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Cite this Entry

“Illiberalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illiberalism. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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