liberalism

American  

[lib-er-uh-liz-uhm, lib-ruh-] / ˈlɪb ər əˌlɪz əm, ˈlɪb rə- /

noun

1. the quality or state of being liberal, as in behavior or attitude.

2. 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.

3. (sometimes initial capital letter) the principles and practices of a liberal party in politics.

4. 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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liberalism British  

/ ˈlɪbərəˌlɪzəm, ˈlɪbrə- /

noun

1. liberal opinions, practices, or politics

2. a movement in modern Protestantism that rejects biblical authority

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liberalism Cultural  

1. 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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Other Word Forms

• antiliberalism
  noun
• antiliberalist
  noun
• antiliberalistic
  adjective
• liberalist
  noun
• liberalistic
  adjective
• nonliberalism
  noun
• semiliberalism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of liberalism

First recorded in 1810–20; liberal + -ism

Explanation

Liberalism in politics favors social progress, through the agency of government, while liberalism in economics favors a free and open market, without government interference. Liberalism in contemporary politics is said to fall on the left-hand side of the political spectrum, which is why its adherents are sometimes called, collectively, "the Left." (Adherents of "conservatism" are called "the Right," and they are generally strongly opposed to liberalism.) "Political liberalism," which may favor more government regulation, is not interchangeable with "economic liberalism," which favors less government regulation, a strategy political conservatism often agrees with.

Example Sentences

Academics will argue endlessly about whether the world runs on either competitive realism or cooperative liberalism.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

Despite his fierce liberalism, Reiner built relationships with conservatives including Fox News host Laura Ingraham and actor James Woods, earning their respect.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2025

The simile is arresting: modern European proponents of welfare-state liberalism likened to a dying class of 19th-century hereditary nobles, confident in their rightness and desperate to rest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

Liberal women have to navigate complex gender politics, too, but there’s less of an inherent ideological conflict between liberalism itself and women seeking power.

From Slate • Nov. 22, 2025

Victor III was far more enlightened, but his liberalism was paternalistic, rooted in noblesse oblige.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• left-winger
• leftist
• liberal
• progressive
• radical