liberal
758
4.4
- adjective
- /ˈlɪbərəl/
- She has a liberal attitude towards new ideas and supports social reform.
- more liberal
- liberal policies
- liberal democracy
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Watch on YouTubeThey see most countries are not Liberal Democratic countries.
- They see most countries are not Liberal Democratic countries.
- Islam was a much more liberal form of Islam when I was born.
- It's like I, you know, I, I was very liberal when I was younger.
- Is this just kind of like this stage of liberal democracy?
- So he's socially liberal, fiscally conservative.
- It's was communism versus a liberal democracy or communism versus liberal capitalism, whatever.
- Now, the Occupy Wall Street movement was all these younger, urban liberal individuals, right?
- Or Republican versus Democrat, liberal versus conservative, that type of stuff.
- That looks like the opportunity for the the constitutional elements, the liberal elements in in Russia.
- And so we tend to be drawn in to the social world within a liberal context.
- I mean, it is for the most part, very progressive and and liberal.
- It's mostly, you know, right on liberal women who are behind the trans.
- But then you apply it to, you know, certain liberal priorities.
Examples
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I mean, Austin's a pretty liberal town, and any city is blue, right?
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One aspect of this distinctive political voice is the mix of liberal and conservative policy positions.
Academic text (2013) -
I am open to liberal ideas.
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Now, we're not just talking liberal or conservative.
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Yeah, but it's gotten way more liberal now.
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Additionally, women have tended to place themselves more on the liberal end of the ideological scale.
Academic text (2013) -
Obama went on to speak about another crucial liberal feeling: "The audacity of hope."
Academic text (2008) -
I eventually accepted a one-year position at a liberal arts college in the upper Midwest.
Academic text (2017) -
So he's socially liberal, fiscally conservative.
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In contrast, the digital or information age promotes a liberal, more empowering way of learning and interacting.
Academic text (2013)
Synonyms
245
4.2
Supporting social equality and change to help more people
92
3.6
Political ideas that want more equality and social change
71
3.2
Accepting of people and ideas that are different
1
6.0
Willing to accept other people's ideas and be kind to them
Antonyms
Idioms
A saying that some people who call themselves liberal may show authoritarian views when challenged
Compounds
33
3.7
College or university studies that teach broad knowledge and thinking skills across subjects like literature and history
- Literature
6
7.7
A group of people with liberal views who have more money, status, and influence
- Offensive
2
9.4
A rich person who supports liberal ideas but is out of touch with ordinary people
1
3.6
A UK political party in the centre that supports liberal social policies and reforms to help working people
How Liberal
Surface Forms
Morphology
liberal = liber + al
The adjectival political sense (open-minded, favoring reform) is related to 'free' but is an abstract extension that may not be fully transparent to all learners.
Etymology
Liberal comes from the Latin liber meaning 'free', and it describes views that are open and allow personal freedom, so a liberal attitude is open-minded and accepting of new ideas.