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
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Recent Examples of illiberalism
Orban and Putin once shared a close working relationship, grounded in energy deals and mutual illiberalism.
—
Nic Cheeseman, 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
If so, or even if not, the results of illiberalism by governmental bodies on both sides of the Atlantic are clear for all to see.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Hazony’s main project, the National Conservatism conference, has served as a hub connecting various different strands of illiberalism to each other and to power.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for illiberalism
Nic Cheeseman, 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
If so, or even if not, the results of illiberalism by governmental bodies on both sides of the Atlantic are clear for all to see.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Hazony’s main project, the National Conservatism conference, has served as a hub connecting various different strands of illiberalism to each other and to power.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for illiberalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illiberalism
Noun
-
No other word expresses so much hatred and bigotry.—
Jordy Fee-Platt,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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Both had spent their entire lives chafing under the terror of bigotry, and from the hypocrisy being exposed by a heinous, toxic legacy of institutionalized double standards.—
John E. Green,
Time,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even after homosexuality was decriminalized in the post-Soviet country at the turn of the century, intolerance has been commonplace.—
Ryan Oehrli
Updated February 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
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Nelson initially claimed to investigators that her son suffered from a rare bone disease, lactose intolerance and bulimia.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And many folks thought that that was a type of dogmatism and inflexibility that was not productive.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
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That — metaphorically and literally — is earned dogmatism, the risk that expertise breeds rigidity in our thinking and decision-making.—
Tim Maurer,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Two other suits have been withdrawn or dismissed with prejudice.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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Nearly two months after she was shot, federal prosecutors dropped assault charges that had been filed against her, and a judge dismissed them with prejudice, which prevents the government from filing them against her again.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Robinson’s attorneys have ramped up claims of bias as the case has advanced, even accusing news outlets of using lip readers to deduce what the defendant is whispering to his attorneys during court hearings.—
Matthew Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Research suggests that when law enforcement treats people fairly, without bias and with respect, people will view them as more legitimate, and in turn may be more willing to cooperate with them.—
Aubrey Jackson Soller,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At the heart of his coalition-building is a belief that virulent partisanship is a messaging issue more than a political one.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
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Kousser, the politics professor, noted that this is not the first time that concerns about partisanship within the Justice Department have been voiced.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illiberalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illiberalism. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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