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Synonyms

libertarian

American  
[lib-er-tair-ee-uhn] / ˌlɪb ərˈtɛər i ən /

noun

  1. a follower of a political philosophy or party that advocates individual liberty achieved by limiting the power of a central government.

    Whether left- or right-leaning, libertarians generally oppose taxation and support free trade.

  2. a person who advocates liberty, especially with regard to thought or conduct.

  3. a person who maintains the doctrine of free will (necessitarian ).

adjective

  1. of or relating to a political philosophy or party that advocates individual liberty achieved by limiting the power of a central government.

    libertarian views;

    a libertarian economist.

  2. advocating or conforming to the principles of liberty.

  3. maintaining the doctrine of free will.

libertarian British  
/ ˌlɪbəˈtɛərɪən /

noun

  1. a believer in freedom of thought, expression, etc

  2. philosophy a believer in the doctrine of free will Compare determinism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a libertarian

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • antilibertarian adjective
  • libertarianism noun

Etymology

Origin of libertarian

First recorded in 1780–90; libert(y) + -arian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Minicircle is based in the libertarian stronghold of Próspera, a small charter city on the island of Roatán, off the coast of Honduras, with its own laws and regulatory frameworks.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

His remarks came on Wednesday at an event hosted by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

Jeffrey Singer, a doctor and senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute, said decentralization can be beneficial.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

In one corner, there is Musk, the world's richest man and a staunch advocate of libertarian ideals.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

Jesse was nearly indefinable politically, but libertarian probably came closest.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.