libertarian

American  

[lib-er-tair-ee-uhn] / ˌlɪb ərˈtɛər i ən /

noun

• libertarians
  plural

1. a follower of a political philosophy or party that advocates individual liberty achieved by limiting the power of a central government.

   Whether left- or right-leaning, libertarians generally oppose taxation and support free trade.

2. a person who advocates liberty, especially with regard to thought or conduct.

3. a person who maintains the doctrine of free will (distinguished from necessitarian).

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adjective

1. of or relating to a political philosophy or party that advocates individual liberty achieved by limiting the power of a central government.

   libertarian views;

   a libertarian economist.

2. advocating or conforming to the principles of liberty.

3. maintaining the doctrine of free will.

libertarian British  

/ ˌlɪbəˈtɛərɪən /

noun

1. a believer in freedom of thought, expression, etc

2. philosophy a believer in the doctrine of free will Compare determinism

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a libertarian

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• libertarianism
  noun
• antilibertarian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• libertarians
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of libertarian

First recorded in 1780–90; libert(y) + -arian

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Explanation

Someone who is a libertarian advocates the importance of the individual over government control — libertarians believe strongly in freedom. A libertarian holds onto the idea of a person's free will and individualism, with the word based on the Latin root liber, meaning “free.” In the U.S., libertarians can be to the left or the right of the political spectrum. A libertarian believes that someone should make his or her own decisions rather than rely on a political party line. If you think the government should keep its nose out of your business, then you might be a libertarian.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

libertarian libertarians

We were dressed in our rancho libertarian best: jeans, embroidered leather belts, pearl snap shirts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Breaking that link would “fundamentally change the nature of the program,” said Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

During our exchange, she noted that my views on academic freedom were also found among “faculty with libertarian leanings.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

The government of libertarian President Javier Milei aims to use the bill to provide a legal framework that attracts investment.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Jesse was nearly indefinable politically, but libertarian probably came closest.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

The movement has support on both the political left and right, notably from libertarians.

From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026

Hilton was favored over the two Democrats among self-identified libertarians and among voters in Orange County, the Central Valley and northern coast and Sierra region.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

To drive that point home, he posted an image of several prominent libertarians, including economists Murray N. Rothbard and Milton Friedman and former congressman Justin Amash, in suits and ties.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026

And he also drew ardent libertarians like Derek Wheeler, a longtime supporter from Indiana who doesn’t vote in federal elections.

From Slate ● May 19, 2026

Civil libertarians see it as a violation of our Fourth Amendment freedom from “unreasonable search”; most jobholders and applicants find it simply embarrassing.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

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