liberty

noun

ˈli-bər-tē How to pronounce liberty (audio)
Definition of libertynext
1
as in choice
the power, right, or opportunity to choose he doesn't want to go to the sales conference, but he doesn't have that liberty

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in autonomy
the state of being free from the control or power of another the hope that the country's first-ever elections will usher in a new era of liberty and respect for the rule of law

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word liberty different from other nouns like it?

The words freedom and license are common synonyms of liberty. While all three words mean "the power or condition of acting without compulsion," liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion.

the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty

When could freedom be used to replace liberty?

In some situations, the words freedom and liberty are roughly equivalent. However, freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.

freedom of the press

When is it sensible to use license instead of liberty?

Although the words license and liberty have much in common, license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom.

freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license

Example Sentences

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 liberty An old question underneath a new technology James Douglas Cardoza founded LibertyPen, a platform built around the study of individual liberty, economic incentives, and self-ownership. — Terdawn Deboe, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Together with his lover Madame de Staël and their circle, Constant arrived at the idea—not in direct response to the Königsberg scandal but in response to the moralizing public absolutism of the age—that liberty required privacy to flourish. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 The executive order emphasizes parental decision-making and religious liberty, and directs federal agencies to examine issues related to religious and medical exemptions from childhood vaccine requirements. — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Conservative project, too But the rights and liberties protected by state constitutions haven’t just evolved in a liberal direction. — Quinn Yeargain, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for liberty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liberty
  1. choice
  2. autonomy
  3. option
  4. freedom
  5. preference
  6. sovereignty
  7. independence
  8. independency
Noun
  • Nick Pope is also still on Tyneside, even though he has been relegated to third-choice goalkeeper and was made available.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • That choice could help Antares avoid developing every component specifically for nuclear use.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of choice
Noun
  • Bareilles is mourning a few things — the deaths of close friends, dreams of easy fertility, assumptions of female autonomy, the American dream — but the music soars, more often than not.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Historically, the United States has sent mixed messages to Europeans, encouraging them to step up but then scolding them for seeking autonomy.
    — JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of autonomy
Noun
  • Because individual-stock premiums are currently richer, managers may also be able to meet their income targets by writing options against a smaller portion of the portfolio.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • When Chelsea try to shift the ball back across to the right, Brighton press man-to-man and force Fofana to the touchline, leaving him with little option other than to play a long ball into the channel in the direction of Neto.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of option
Noun
  • In fact, the Book of Exodus is his jam here, focusing on Moses (Christian Bale), his close connection to Egyptian pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton) and Moses' effort to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to freedom.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The International Press Institute, a nonprofit that aims to protect media freedom, recorded 26 incidents of attacks and threats in the five months to March.
    — Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of freedom
Noun
  • For this report, GlobalData also conducted a January-February 2026 survey of 3,268 American adults, asking specific questions about their behaviors and preferences for secondhand.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Kids arrive at stores with opinions already shaped by group chats, AI tools and social feeds, and preferences can flip quickly once the season is underway.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of preference
Noun
  • Ibrahim Traoré, who took power after a coup in 2022, Burkina Faso has presented food production as a sovereignty issue.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Lokotah works for Sunlight Media Collective, documenting stories at the intersection of Wabanaki sovereignty and environmental justice.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of sovereignty
Noun
  • Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974, and Turkish Cypriots declared independence in 1983.
    — Andrew Wilks, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Lewis admitted that the experience has impacted not only her independence but her confidence as well.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of independence
Noun
  • Yet the careful reader will appreciate the significance of the Puritan Cromwell’s independency.
    — Barton Swaim, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2021
  • His seemingly daily attacks on freedom of speech, the independency of the judiciary, the right to vote and other pillars of our constitutional system are bolstered by an intensely loyal fan base.
    — Christopher Ingraham, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2020
Definition of independency

Phrases Containing liberty

Browse Nearby Words

libertinism
liberty
libidinous
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Cite this Entry

“Liberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liberty. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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