Synonym Chooser

How is the word liberty different from other nouns like it?

The words freedom and license are common synonyms of liberty. While all three words mean "the power or condition of acting without compulsion," liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion.

the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty

When could freedom be used to replace liberty?

In some situations, the words freedom and liberty are roughly equivalent. However, freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.

freedom of the press

When is it sensible to use license instead of liberty?

Although the words license and liberty have much in common, license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom.

freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license

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 liberty The movie chronicles Cheney’s life – at times with some creative liberties – from his path in rural 1960s Wyoming to the White House. Melina Khan, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025 With chapters on thousands of high school and college campuses, the group promotes conservative ideals like free markets, limited government, and individual liberty. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025 Dennis is seeking an unspecified amount in damages on claims that include unlawful seizure and false imprisonment, and deprivation of liberty without due process. Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025 Reagan believed, like Kennedy, Truman and Roosevelt, that America should promote human liberty. Kathleen Collins, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for liberty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liberty
Noun
  • The best heroes are beloved because their choices — admirable, messy, or otherwise — are hard ones made in service of something greater.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The two were impeccably dressed as Gomez and Morticia Addams, which is a canonically Gay couple costume choice — Lakshmi, as Morticia, was holding scissors in one of the posts, for crying out loud.
    James Factora, Them., 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • While medically assisted suicide isn’t a mainstream cause of any one political party, conversations about potential legislation happen more in progressive circles and often in connection with arguments about bodily autonomy.
    Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Justice Anthony Kennedy’s original opinion, written in 2015, emphasized ideas about individual autonomy, safeguarding children and families, and maintaining the social order.
    E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The interim government turned to China and Pakistan to rebalance Bangladesh’s options and secure tangible gains in defense cooperation and economic assistance.
    MUHIB RAHMAN, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
  • Coffee drinks brewed with Magnolia Coffee, tea, smoothies and pastries were available, along with breakfast options, handhelds and pizzas.
    Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The Brazilian feature follows a 75-year-old woman whose journey through the Amazon becomes a manifesto on freedom and dignity.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Nov. 2025
  • My mother has been denied access to medical care, the right to speak, and every basic human freedom.
    Kim Aris, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • George's only preference would be for the team to pick up more wins.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Those who didn’t love this one said their preference is to not have the whole fruit pieces.
    Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • As South Asian publics have pushed back against governments closely aligned with New Delhi, Beijing has asserted itself, courting new regimes with loans and military hardware and stressing respect for their sovereignty.
    MUHIB RAHMAN, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
  • Leader Xi Jinping has pushed to modernize the military, particularly the navy, to challenge US dominance in the South China Sea and assert sovereignty claims over Taiwan.
    Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • As this brief survey suggests, the patriots’ success in drawing foreign partners into the war was essential to achieving American independence.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The forest for the trees Nestled between China, India and Thailand, Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948 but came under military dictatorship in 1962.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • This visit was very important signal for our partners that Kyiv, much more safety right now, and also very important signal that Great Britain stay together with Ukraine, support Ukraine -- support our country in the fight for our freedom, for our independency.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2022
  • Yet the careful reader will appreciate the significance of the Puritan Cromwell’s independency.
    Barton Swaim, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“Liberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liberty. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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