1
as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
an illiberal society that viewed any artistic depiction of the nude as inherently indecent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in narrow
unwilling to grant other people social rights or to accept other viewpoints
some of the more illiberal residents were opposed to having a hospice for AIDS patients in the neighborhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vulgar
archaic
lacking in refinement or good taste
people who had been scorned as illiberal because they were poor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illiberal
These fissures are where Islamism leaps in to segregate, cohort, and indoctrinate with antidemocratic illiberal Islamist values forming the milieu ripe for radicalization, including terrorism and evolutionary jihad.
—
Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
By then, the majority of global political regimes could range from hybrid illiberal democracies to authoritarian states.
—Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
But today, the most important political cleft is not the fading distinction between right and left, but the rising conflict between liberal and illiberal, democratic and autocratic.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
The rise of illiberal leaders in countries such as Brazil, India, Israel, the Philippines, Turkey, and the United States has also created a more congenial setting for the spread of these narratives.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illiberal
Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
By then, the majority of global political regimes could range from hybrid illiberal democracies to authoritarian states.
—Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
But today, the most important political cleft is not the fading distinction between right and left, but the rising conflict between liberal and illiberal, democratic and autocratic.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
The rise of illiberal leaders in countries such as Brazil, India, Israel, the Philippines, Turkey, and the United States has also created a more congenial setting for the spread of these narratives.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illiberal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illiberal
Adjective
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South suburban committee members, meanwhile, showed parochial loyalty to Kelly.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
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In a chamber fraught with parochial interests and personalities in spades, the sprint to finish this by the July 4 holiday is going to be clipped.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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But its critics say EA continues to make narrow and curious choices that neglect both systemic issues and the complexly human reasons people give, as a battle for billions rages on.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
24 July 2025
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That choice is one of the starkest demonstrations that the regime’s priority of narrow self-interest over the global good won’t be changing anytime soon.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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By The Athletic’s count, over nine innings during the Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Mets, those fans aimed the same vulgar chant at Soto a whopping 38 times.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
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Because at the time, Madonna was seen as this controversial and sort of vulgar character.—
Terry Gross,
NPR,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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Bringing bold wallpaper into a small space can be a fun way to add a bit of a ‘wow’ factor, and that is precisely what Laws did in this 40-square-foot half-bath.—
Lennie Omalza,
The Courier-Journal,
25 July 2025
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The Kitchen by Cooking with Que is open to the public Fridays and Saturdays as a small café. Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Doctor The rhetoric around Mamdani has been described as racist, bigoted and Islamophobic.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
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Only the Ku Klux Klan could enjoy such bigoted and nonsensical statements.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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After a game in January where Luna played through a broken nose and registered an assist despite being elbowed in the face by a player from Costa Rica, Pochettino praised his young midfielder with a memorably crass description.—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
16 June 2025
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Swearing and vulgarity aren’t just crass or abusive.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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Without wanting to trivialize egregious breaches of sovereignty like the invasion of Ukraine, most are undeniably petty.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 July 2025
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Shameful to once again put the president's petty interests over the needs of Americans.—
Hollie Silverman
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Bashir also encourages the use of solar power, helping clients navigate provincial subsidies and designing homes with electrical systems that can easily accommodate solar panel installations or solar roof tiles.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
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One local Druze man told me on Tuesday that artillery was raining down on the provincial capital, and that kidnappings and gun battles were taking place across the area.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illiberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illiberal. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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