Definition of liberalismnext
as in left
a political belief stressing progress, the essential goodness of humankind, and individual freedom liberalism had always claimed to stand for the greatest social good

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of liberalism This neglect allowed some politicians to coast on the temporary tax revenue boom from Californians and New Yorkers fleeing lockdown liberalism, and the corresponding uptick in Florida home valuations. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026 The letter codified the idea that the modern West—defined by liberalism, constitutionalism, and multi-party democracy—could be separated, conceptually, from the ancient West, as represented by Greece and Rome. Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026 Randall accused him of a feel-good liberalism that ignores deeper racial and class reckonings that South Bend (a city that is just barely half white) has coming. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026 During Vargas Llosa’s lifetime, his political beliefs underwent extreme changes, from supporting Castro’s revolutionary Communism to championing traditional European liberalism, which included an adamantine belief in unregulated markets. Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for liberalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liberalism
left
Noun
  • Trever parts his hair to the right while his brother styles his combover to the left.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
  • That game will feature the return of longtime Rapids Homegrown Sam Vines, a left back who the club waived the day before the season started.
    Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Liberalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liberalism. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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