liberalism

[ lib-er-uh-liz-uhm, lib-ruh- ]

/ ˈlɪb ər əˌlɪz əm, ˈlɪb rə- /

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See synonyms for: liberalism / liberalistic 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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Origin of liberalism

First recorded in 1810–20; liberal + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM liberalism

lib·er·al·ist, noun, adjectivelib·er·al·is·tic, adjectivean·ti·lib·er·al·ism, nounan·ti·lib·er·al·ist, noun, adjective

an·ti·lib·er·al·is·tic, adjectivenon·lib·er·al·ism, nounsem·i·lib·er·al·ism, noun

Words nearby liberalism

Liberal Democrat, Liberal Democrats, liberal education, liberal elite, Liberalia, liberalism, liberality, liberalize, Liberal Judaism, liberally, Liberal party

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for liberalism

Still, it’s telling that, for all the criticism of liberalism, influential voices are still fighting over its meaning — and reimagining it to serve their ends.
Bernie Sanders is often called a liberal. He’d beg to differ. Who is actually a liberal?|Graham Vyse|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
Stacey Abrams had long criticized that approach as ignoring the growing number of voters of color in the South and the region’s liberalism on some issues.
Warnock And Ossoff Are Testing A New Strategy For Democrats In The South|Perry Bacon Jr. (perry.bacon@fivethirtyeight.com)|December 14, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Sometimes democracy and liberalism are about speaking up about the great issues, like a massive foreign war.
A Few Great Men Too Many: Aaron Sorkin Doesn’t Think You Can Handle the Truth|Arthur Chu|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From its founding in 1914, The New Republic has been the flagship and forum of American liberalism.
Facebook Prince Purges The New Republic: Inside the Destruction of a 100-Year-Old Magazine|Lloyd Grove|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Liberalism in the United States today is the politics that dares not speak its name.
American Dreams: How Bush Shaped Our Reading of Roth’s ‘The Plot Against America’|Nathaniel Rich|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Usually, though, old-fashioned Liberalism is very much at the fore in Puck.
The Magazine That Made—and Unmade—Politicians|Anthony Haden-Guest|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even so, Maher has identified a problem within Western liberalism today.
Bill Maher 1, Ben Affleck 0|Michael Tomasky|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sir Graham took me up and we fell into a discussion of the changing qualities of Liberalism.
The New Machiavelli|Herbert George Wells
This reunion of the Conservatives became the nucleus of a great reaction against Liberalism.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 8|Various
In the Prussian parliament seventy-three members broke off from the rest, calling themselves Reaction against Liberalism.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 8|Various
It is noticeable that in 1894 when this motion was introduced it was lost; a striking instance of the decay of Liberalism.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 8|Various
You should first know what Liberalism means, and then assure yourself that the thing itself is good.
The Prime Minister|Anthony Trollope

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).

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liberalism

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British Dictionary definitions for liberalism

noun

Derived forms of liberalism

Cultural definitions for liberalism

MEANINGS

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WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

liberalism

noun

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Origin of liberalism

OTHER WORDS FROM liberalism

Words nearby liberalism

Words related to liberalism

Example sentences from the Web for liberalism

British Dictionary definitions for liberalism

noun

Derived forms of liberalism

Cultural definitions for liberalism