liberalism

[ lib-er-uh-liz-uh m, lib-ruh- ]
/ ˈlɪb ər əˌlɪz əm, ˈlɪb rə- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR liberalism ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the quality or state of being liberal, as in behavior or attitude.
a political or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual, parliamentary systems of government, nonviolent modification of political, social, or economic institutions to assure unrestricted development in all spheres of human endeavor, and governmental guarantees of individual rights and civil liberties.
(sometimes initial capital letter) the principles and practices of a liberal party in politics.
a movement in modern Protestantism that emphasizes freedom from tradition and authority, the adjustment of religious beliefs to scientific conceptions, and the development of spiritual capacities.

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advocate
to give up possession or occupancy of.
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to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.
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Origin of liberalism

First recorded in 1810–20; liberal + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM liberalism

Words nearby liberalism

liberal judaism, liberal party, liberal studies, liberal unionist, liberalia, liberalism, liberality, liberalize, liberate, liberated, liberation
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to liberalism

liberal, leftist, indulgence, magnanimity, sensitivity, understanding, leniency, patience, mercifulness, toleration, altruism, lenity, benevolence, endurance, grace, humanity, permission, compassion, liberality, clemency

Example sentences from the Web for liberalism

British Dictionary definitions for liberalism

liberalism
/ (ˈlɪbərəˌlɪzəm, ˈlɪbrə-) /

noun

liberal opinions, practices, or politics
a movement in modern Protestantism that rejects biblical authority

Derived forms of liberalism

liberalist, noun, adjectiveliberalistic, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for liberalism

liberalism

In the twentieth century, a viewpoint or ideology associated with free political institutions and religious toleration, as well as support for a strong role of government in regulating capitalism and constructing the welfare state (see also welfare state).

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.