adjective / noun
liberal
LIB-er-uhl/ˈlɪbərəl/
Open to individual freedom and differing views.
A diverse, liberal crowd gathers to support equal rights and inclusion.
Etymology
Originally “befitting a free person,” liberal came to mean free from prejudice and tolerant. That openness connects with reform, while political uses also emphasized individual freedom and democracy.
In context
whether he's making fair criticisms of liberal excesses giving criminals rights that perhaps they shouldn't have
More examples
- Her parents have liberal views about marriage and family life.
- Liberals on the council support the proposed civil rights protections.
- A liberal interpretation of the rules allows more exceptions.
Forms
liberal · liberals · more liberal · most liberal
liberalism noun — Belief in individual freedom and social reform.
liberalize verb — To make laws or rules less restrictive.
Similar words
- progressive
- Emphasizes active social reform rather than openness to differing views.
- tolerant
- Emphasizes accepting differences without necessarily favoring political reform.
- flexible
- Emphasizes adjusting rules or interpretations rather than defending individual freedom.