liberalize

American  

[lib-er-uh-lahyz, lib-ruh-] / ˈlɪb ər əˌlaɪz, ˈlɪb rə- /

especially British, liberalise

verb (used with or without object)

liberalized, liberalizing

1. to make or become liberal.

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liberalize British  

/ ˈlɪbərəˌlaɪz, ˈlɪbrə- /

verb

1. to make or become liberal

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of liberalize

First recorded in 1765–75; liberal + -ize

Explanation

Liberalize means to make more liberal––as in, less authoritarian and more open. State-run economies might liberalize by opening up industry, free enterprise, and trade. Liberalize can also mean "reform." If you have a society that punishes theft by cutting off a culprit's hand, you could liberalize it by changing the punishment to jail time or other less cruel and unusual punishment.

Example Sentences

In 2022, Nabavi and Hassan Khomeini lobbied the government to liberalize the political system during protests against the compulsory veil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026

He said that when he first attended a General Conference in 2008, he was shocked by proposals to liberalize church rules.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 13, 2024

But they happened amid a nationwide push by manufacturer and restaurant lobbies to liberalize child labor laws in those states and elsewhere.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2023

In 1995, the World Trade Organisation implemented the Agreement on Agriculture to liberalize agricultural trade.

From Salon • Jul. 12, 2023

In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact   troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize   party rule and create "socialism with a human face."

From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency