civil liberty

noun

plural civil liberties

: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's speech or actions by other individuals or by the government especially as constitutionally guaranteed (as by the U.S. Bill of Rights)

—usually plural

Examples of civil liberties include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, the right to privacy, and the right to due process of law.—Ramon Martin

compare civil rights

civil libertarian noun

plural civil libertarians

civil libertarian adjective

… continued divisions within the GOP on civil libertarian issues. —Ian Duncan and Lisa Mascaro

Examples of civil liberty in a Sentence

Freedom of speech is a civil liberty.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

In his first year in office, more than one civil liberties advocate has taken issue with his approach. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 The Flock Safety system has been lauded by law enforcement for its investigative capacity, while critics point to the growing list of officers charged with abusing the license plate reader as an example of its overreach and civil liberty violations. — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 The institute is a nonprofit law firm focused on civil liberties cases, its website says. — Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026 Police say the cameras help solve crimes, but civil liberty groups and privacy advocates warn of mass surveillance and police misuse. — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for civil liberty

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of civil liberty was in 1640

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Browse Nearby Words

civil libertarian

civil liberty

civil list

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Civil liberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20liberty. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Legal Definition

civil liberty

noun

: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's pursuits (as in expressing thoughts, practicing a religion, or pursuing a living) by individuals or especially by the government and especially as constitutionally guaranteed

—usually used in pl. see also civil right

civil liberty

noun

Examples of civil liberty in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Legal Definition

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