civil liberties

Cultural  

1. In general, the rights to freedom of thought, expression, and action, and the protection of these rights from government interference or restriction. Civil liberties are the hallmark of liberal, democratic “free” societies. In the United States, the Bill of Rights guarantees a variety of civil liberties, most notably freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech, expressed in the First Amendment (see also First Amendment). (See civil rights.)

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Example Sentences

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civil liberties

But it is the mandatory religious texts that have drawn fiercest opposition from education and civil liberties groups.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

Norman Siegel, one of the nation’s leading civil liberties attorneys, has led large-scale voting rights and voting registration efforts in the south and around the country.

From Salon ● Jun. 16, 2026

If that’s true, I have not heard him or a supporter address what would appear to be a treatment mismatch for the others, as well as a potential civil liberties breach for all of them.

From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026

They broke the barrier between art and civic action, linking freedom of expression to longstanding demands for civil liberties for the general population in a country where surveillance is pervasive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

To do so, he reinstated the civil liberties that Hitler had taken away.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Related Words

• freedom
• freedom of religion
• freedom of speech
• human rights