liberalization

especially British, lib·er·al·i·sa·tion

[lib-er-uh-lahy-zey-shuhn, lib-ruh-]

noun

1. the state of being or becoming more favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.

   The liberalization of Anglican thought predates the rise of Protestant fundamentalism.

2. the act or process of making something, such as laws or regulations, less restrictive, or the state of being or becoming less restrictive.

   The president has proposed liberalization of the criminal code to allow for a reduction in maximum sentences and the introduction of monetary fines for less severe offenses.

   The government is updating existing contracts with some foreign companies to favor liberalization and free market competition.

Other Word Forms

• overliberalization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of liberalization¹

liberaliz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

The rise of populism has been characterized by a liberalization of thought and speech that had previously been suppressed by the prevailing authorities of orthodoxy.

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Washington is also expressing renewed interest in Latin American liberalization with sticks and carrots.

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In the decades since China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, those hopes of political liberalization have largely been dashed.

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One classic argument for agricultural trade liberalization is to let countries exploit their comparative advantages and grow what they grow best.

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So the matter stood until the 1990s, when South Korea’s pivot towards economic liberalization opened domestic markets to a flood of mayo and other foreign products.

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