liberalize

especially British, lib·er·al·ise

[lib-er-uh-lahyz, lib-ruh-]

verb (used with or without object)

liberalized, liberalizing 

1. to make or become liberal.

liberalize

/ ˈlɪbərəˌlaɪz, ˈlɪbrə- /

verb

1. to make or become liberal

Other Word Forms

• liberalization noun
• liberalizer noun
• overliberalize verb
• unliberalized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of liberalize¹

First recorded in 1765–75; liberal + -ize

Example Sentences

Issued under Deng Xiaoping, Document 19 was often presented to the outside world as a liberalizing gesture, since it criticized the excesses of the Cultural Revolution and permitted “normal religious activities” under state supervision.

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Milei has already proved that something is different, just by getting elected two years ago on a promise to shrink the state, liberalize the economy and balance the budget—and, so far, by delivering.

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Another called the event “an insidious tool to project a misleading image of the country’s incremental efforts to liberalize.”

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At the same time, he made great strides in deregulating the economy and liberalizing trade.

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In the Cold War, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and doubled down on global revolution even while benefiting from the detente era’s liberalized trade.

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