Meaning & use
liberal
A person who supports individual freedom, social progress, and government action to promote equality and reform.
See it in a sentence
As a liberal, she favored stronger social programs and expanded civil rights protections.
The debate split the room between liberals who wanted reform and conservatives who preferred tradition.
A note on using this word
The meaning of liberal shifts by country: in the US it usually implies left-leaning politics, while in Europe it can emphasize free-market economics.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.
Her liberal upbringing let her question rules that other families never challenged.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “liberal”, then compare your use with the examples above.