American Civil Liberties Union

American  

noun

1. an organization founded in 1920 to defend the civil rights of all U.S. citizens. ACLU, A.C.L.U.

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American Civil Liberties Union Cultural  

1. An organization founded in 1920 in the wake of the red scare to defend civil liberties. The ACLU has often defended the rights of individuals aligned with unpopular causes, including American communists and Nazis.

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Example Sentences

In 2017, Lindstrom received the Civil Liberties Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon for his work advancing civil rights and liberties.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026

Julia Kaye, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, welcomed the move.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

The coalition, which includes the American Civil Liberties Union, has called on Fifa to put pressure on US authorities "to respect the fundamental human rights of every person visiting and attending the games".

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Soon after the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Celia Wang began her argument, Trump abruptly rose and left.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

In May 2009 the American Civil Liberties Union, several breast- cancer survivors, and professional groups representing more than 150,0 scientists sued Myriad Genetics over its breast-cancer gene patents.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot