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personal liberty

American

noun

the liberty of an individual to act with free will except for those restraints imposed by law to safeguard the physical, moral, political, and economic welfare of others.

Etymology

Origin of personal liberty

First recorded in 1840–50

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.

The Fourth Amendment is an essential safeguard of Americans’ privacy and personal liberty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

Given that his personal liberty will be at stake, his inability to ever acknowledge his own prior mistakes or admit personal limitations of any kind, Lauro and Blanche will surely have their hands full.

From Slate • Jan. 26, 2024

"This was a very problematic concept," says lawyer Akshat Bajpai, "as it defeated the concept of personal liberty - that includes the right to practise your religion - guaranteed by the Indian constitution."

From BBC • Oct. 16, 2023

“We have to figure out how to provide for both. We can’t destroy personal liberty in the name of mental healthcare, or the other way around. We can’t have one without the other.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2023

The trip was also a chance to explore the family’s new sense of personal liberty.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

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