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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

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
Transparency is not conservative or liberal. Vaughn Stewart, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2026 Several liberal groups in the Rio Grande Valley brought a lawsuit against SpaceX, challenging a 2013 law that allows Elon Musk’s company to temporarily close Boca Chica Beach multiple times a year to conduct launches. Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
Underly, a liberal, was reelected last year to a second term as state superintendent with strong support from teacher unions and state Democrats. Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 5 Nov. 2025 Even John Stuart Mill, the model nineteenth-century liberal and a feminist, did not think that Indians in British India were ready for free speech. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for liberal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liberal
Adjective
  • Fracturing of conservative communities leads a veteran Republican to retire and could help some incumbent Democrats fend off progressive challengers.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The results represent a victory for the ruling Historic Pact, which has campaigned on promising to continue Petro’s program of progressive economic reforms.
    Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • These Amazon jeans are for a tighter budget and still offer a relaxed fit from waist to leg, with generous taping and a stone wash tone that goes with anything.
    Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Al’s is famous for its obscenely generous loaded baked potatoes, the kind locals stretch across four meals.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • That’s the view of Brad Conger, chief investment officer at Hirtle Callaghan, a firm that manages $25 billion on behalf of such clients as charitable institutions and college endowments.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
  • 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 Mar. 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
  • Opened in 2025, the modern Persian cafe serves barbari bread and lavash wrap sandwiches, tahini-date shakes and chai lattes, plus a full slate of events aimed at uplifting the local Persian community.
    Angela Osorio, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Renovations will include replacing the substation’s infrastructure with more modern equipment, which Miller said would be quieter.
    Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The village is incredibly walkable, but parking is also plentiful in front of the town shops.
    Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • His pick-and-rolls are now procedural — and plentiful.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The primary seller gets to look benevolent, having kept prices low for fans.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
  • While the kind of protection offered by Herakles or the Hulk comes with the risk of uncontrollable rage and indiscriminate destruction, and Oedipus seems more of a supervillain than a benevolent guardian, there was a kind of Greek hero that was seen as a defender.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • With the 12th pick, the Brewers selected high school lefty Kodi Medeiros out of Hawaii.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The lefty lasted three innings, allowing six runs, eight hits, on 63 pitches.
    Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Liberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liberal. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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