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 ).

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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

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adjective

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

Other Word Forms

• antilibertarian adjective
• libertarianism noun

Etymology

Origin of libertarian

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

Example Sentences

“It’s nothing spectacular or devastating,” said Scott Lincicome, vice president of economics and trade at the libertarian research firm Cato Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal

Crane, who died Tuesday at age 81, relished that sort of intellectual combat as he sought to promote individual freedom and libertarian ideals.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a July 2024 Instagram post, the suspect's mother described herself as a "conservative leaning libertarian" and spoke out in support of protecting "trans kids".

From BBC

After a long period in which her politics were libertarian, a rare designation for a novelist, Shriver has embraced the label “conservative.”

From The Wall Street Journal

In November, the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, reported that ICE has been primarily detaining people with no criminal history or pending charges.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• autonomous
• constitutional
• egalitarian
• free
• orderly
• popular