LIBERAL Synonyms: 210 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'liberal' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of liberal are bountiful , generous , and munificent . While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given. // a teacher liberal with her praise

Q: When could 'bountiful' be used to replace 'liberal'?

The words bountiful and liberal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing. // children spoiled by bountiful presents

Q: When is 'generous' a more appropriate choice than 'liberal'?

The synonyms generous and liberal are sometimes interchangeable, but generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift. // a generous offer of help

Q: In what contexts can 'munificent' take the place of 'liberal'?

While the synonyms munificent and liberal are close in meaning, munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes. // a munificent foundation grant

liberal 1 of 2

adjective

ˈli-b(ə-)rəl

Definition of liberal next

as in progressive

not bound by traditional ways or beliefs parents who take a very liberal attitude toward letting their children stay out late

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in generous

being more than enough without being excessive he always puts liberal amounts of grated cheese on his pizza

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in charitable

giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation a doctor who has been very liberal in dispensing low-cost care to patients who could not otherwise afford it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

liberal

2 of 2

noun

as in leftist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective liberal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of liberal are bountiful, generous, and munificent. While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given.

a teacher liberal with her praise

When could bountiful be used to replace liberal?

The words bountiful and liberal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.

children spoiled by bountiful presents

When is generous a more appropriate choice than liberal?

The synonyms generous and liberal are sometimes interchangeable, but generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.

a generous offer of help

In what contexts can munificent take the place of liberal?

While the synonyms munificent and liberal are close in meaning, munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.

a munificent foundation grant

Examples of liberal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

No place is going as hard as San Francisco, a fiercely liberal city that has long embraced its reputation as a place where homeless people could find refuge and robust services. —

Angela Hart, CNN, 11 Sep. 2024 The bill did not advance beyond the committee stage, and a separate effort by then-House Minority Leader Gerald Ford to impeach Justice William O. Douglas, who was considered one of the more liberal justices on the bench, likewise failed. —

Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Sep. 2024

Noun

Yoon, a conservative who narrowly won the election in 2022, has struggled to navigate a parliament controlled by liberals who have stymied his agenda and called for investigations into allegations of corruption and abuse of power involving his wife and government officials. —

Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2024 By spring 1985, after all, Democrats had held the majority for 30 years, in a fraying coalition of liberals from the Northeast and other regions and southern moderates and conservatives dating back to the New Deal era in the 1930s. —

David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for liberal

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liberal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.