illiberal

American  

[ih-lib-er-uhl, ih-lib-ruhl] / ɪˈlɪb ər əl, ɪˈlɪb rəl /

adjective

1. narrowminded; bigoted.

   Synonyms:

   small-minded, hidebound, intolerant, biased

2. Archaic.

   1. not generous in giving; miserly; stingy.

   2. Chiefly Literary. without culture or refinement; unscholarly; vulgar.

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illiberal British  

/ ɪˈlɪbərəl /

adjective

1. narrow-minded; prejudiced; bigoted; intolerant

2. not generous; mean

3. lacking in culture or refinement

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Other Word Forms

• illiberalism noun
• illiberality noun
• illiberally adverb
• illiberalness noun

Etymology

Origin of illiberal

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin illīberālis “ignoble, mean”; see il- ², liberal

Explanation

Someone who's illiberal is close-minded and intolerant. Your illiberal grandfather might constantly complain about "kids today with their long hair and tattoos." An illiberal person tends to have old-fashioned values and opinions and isn't usually interested in considering other perspectives. It's illiberal to dismiss unfamiliar religious beliefs — or the lack of any religious belief — as just plain wrong. The original, 1500s meaning of illiberal was "ungentlemanly," from the Latin word illiberalis, "ungenerous, mean, or unworthy of a freeman." The "narrow-minded" sense of the word is from the mid-1600s.

Example Sentences

Magyar, a former government insider turned critic, is offering voters a radical break from Orban's self-described "illiberal" system, vowing to crack down on corruption and improve public services.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

In countries facing illiberal or outright authoritarian governments, bar associations have often stood as credible, independent advocates for the rule of law.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2025

Courageous in his commitment to scientific truth, he espouses opinions that can strike us as elitist and illiberal today.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2024

"To not even be able to express opposition to the law whilst still complying with it seems to be very un-British, extremely illiberal and unnecessarily draconian," he said.

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2023

At this date he passed for the best hated man in England; and representative to the public mind of all that was old-fashioned and illiberal and exclusive.

From Chippinge Borough by Weyman, Stanley J.