big government

noun

variants or Big Government
chiefly US
: government that is regarded as infringing upon the rights of individual citizens because of its extensive bureaucracy and intrusive regulations and policies
Big government, in the minds of many Americans, had become the problem, not the solution.Tom Morganthau
Especially coming from a Republican, the Hyde proposals smack uncharacteristically of Big Government, critics say.John Cloud

Examples of big government in a Sentence

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.
Their staying power is in part the result of big government. Benji Jones, Vox, 28 Jan. 2025 The conservative television host framed environmental protection for the smelt as big government gone wrong in California and everything wrong with liberalism. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 24 Jan. 2025 Cleveland ran for reelection with a new running mate and, thanks to some big government spending from Harrison and his administration — the treasury surplus was essentially depleted — the path to the former president’s victory became quite clear, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Bailey Richards, People.com, 20 Jan. 2025 To them, the only thing worse than big government is big woke government. Farah Stockman, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for big government 

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big government was in 1925

Dictionary Entries Near big government

Cite this Entry

“Big government.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20government. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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