neoliberalism

American  

[nee-oh-lib-er-uh-liz-uhm, -lib-ruh-] / ˌni oʊˈlɪb ər əˌlɪz əm, -ˈlɪb rə- /

noun

1. a faction of the liberal political movement that strongly supports free-market capitalism as the means for societal and human progress.

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neoliberalism British  

/ ˌniːəʊˈlɪbərəˌlɪzəm, -ˈlɪbrəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatization, minimal government intervention in business, reduced public expenditure on social services, etc

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Other Word Forms

• neoliberal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of neoliberalism

First recorded in 1895–1900; neo- + liberalism

Example Sentences

The 20th-century culture business produced “profound” popular art even though its contracts were exploitative beyond the dreams of neoliberalism and its middlemen were often crooks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

His parallel claim about neoliberalism is more complicated.

From Salon • Sep. 17, 2023

The brave new world that Berg describes offers a critique of neoliberalism that’s downright sadistic.

From Washington Post • Dec. 13, 2022

In a sense, she forecasts the emergence of neoliberalism and what I and some scholars call biocapitalism, which is the commodification of the body itself down to the cellular level.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2022

I want to ask you about a piece you wrote for the Atlantic about neoliberalism that includes some thoughts about technology.

From Slate • Nov. 11, 2022