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

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

They grant airlines from both countries the right to operate in each other's countries, liberalize airline regulation and impose safety and security standards.

From Reuters • Aug. 2, 2023

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

The net result of this thinking, I may at the beginning assert, has been to expand and liberalize my convictions concerning the art and technique of short-story writing.

From Atlantic Narratives Modern Short Stories by Ashe, Elizabeth