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

These remaining cases have massive implications for democracy, civil liberties, and the fundamental question of who gets to be an American; they include disputes over birthright citizenship, voting rights, immigration, and executive authority.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026

But the idea came under immediate pressure from political opponents and civil liberties campaigners, including Big Brother Watch, highlighting concerns around privacy.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

The deal includes language that the use of the models will be consistent with civil liberties, constitutional rights and applicable law, the source said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

"Right now, there's no way to ensure that our tools wouldn't be leveraged to cause terrible harms or erode civil liberties away from public scrutiny."

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

For democracy to work, Eisenhower realized that one of the most important civil liberties was the freedom of speech.

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

Related Words

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