adj

liberal

LIHB-ruhl

adj

Generous, open-handed, or given freely and in large amounts.

"He was liberal with his praise, always encouraging the junior staff."

"They served a liberal portion of dessert to every guest."

Open to new ideas and willing to question tradition; tolerant of different views and lifestyles.

"Her liberal upbringing meant she rarely judged other people's choices."

Favouring political and social reform, individual freedoms, and progressive change.

"The senator ran on a liberal platform focused on healthcare reform."

noun

A person who holds liberal political views, typically favouring reform and individual rights.

"Liberals and conservatives clashed over the new tax proposal."

How to Use Liberal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishGenerous, open-minded, or — in politics — in favour of reform and personal freedoms.

Common mistake

Meaning shifts by context: "liberal amount" just means generous/large; "liberal politics" is a specific ideological label, and its exact meaning (progressive vs. classical liberal) varies by country.

UK vs US

In the US, "liberal" usually means left-leaning; in the UK and elsewhere, "liberal" (classical liberalism) can mean pro-free-market and centrist, distinct from the left.

Common pairings

liberal arts liberal views a liberal amount liberal democracy

Word Forms

more liberal comparative, liberals plural, Liberals plural, most liberal superlative

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Etymology

From Old French liberal, from Latin liberalis, "befitting a free person," from liber, "free." The political sense (someone favouring reform and personal liberty) only developed much later, in the 1800s.

Rhymes for liberal

feral general funeral lateral mineral federal several visceral ephemeral bilateral collateral unilateral

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