illiberal
adjective
il·lib·er·al
(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-b(ə-)rəl 
: not liberal: such as
a
: opposed to political liberalism
especially
: restricting individual rights and freedoms
Her latest book … looks at how illiberal leaders use propaganda, corruption, violence and machismo … —
University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii Authoritarian or hybrid regimes, no matter how illiberal, will still be treated as legitimate if they can provide security for their subjects and spark economic growth. —Robert D. Kaplan
Robert D. Kaplan With the coming of the cold war, many Westerners were struck by the resemblance of Stalin's Russia to Hitler's Germany. Both were illiberal, highly centralized regimes that seemed to fit into the general designation of totalitarian states. —Donald Kagan
Donald Kagan
b
: not broad-minded : bigoted
… used the migrant crisis to stir up racist, illiberal views.—Eoin O'Malley
Eoin O'Malley
c
archaic
: not generous : stingy
… Theobald felt quite good-natured, and sent … even more soup and wine than her usual not illiberal allowance.—Samuel Butler
Samuel Butler
d
archaic
: lacking culture and refinement
The tall gentleman came to meet her, looking very rigid and grave. But it was a rigidity that had no illiberal meaning.—Henry James
Henry JamesDrunkenness, the most illiberal … of our vices, was sometimes capable, in a less civilized state of mankind, of occasioning a battle, a war, or a revolution.—Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
e
archaic
: lacking or permitting a lack of a liberal arts education
illiberal occupations
Synonyms
Examples of illiberal in a Sentence
an illiberal attitude toward sex
an illiberal society that viewed any artistic depiction of the nude as inherently indecent
Recent Examples on the Web
Pernicious racial politics and illiberal impulses of tribalism have poisoned American society for so long that a decisive repudiation from top down is required.
—Wenyuan Wu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
In recent years, candidates running for office in France, Germany, and Spain have successfully used the rhetoric of protecting democracy to push back against illiberal or antidemocratic political movements.
—Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 16 Jan. 2025
Tom Nichols: Stalin’s revenge From a liberal point of view, comparing the anti-Soviet revolutions of 1989 with the illiberal revolutions today might seem scandalous.
—Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
If the United States flouts the rules, authoritarians and other illiberal leaders need no further excuse to break them at will, inflicting horror on their own people and inciting instability beyond their borders.
—Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
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Wenyuan Wu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
In recent years, candidates running for office in France, Germany, and Spain have successfully used the rhetoric of protecting democracy to push back against illiberal or antidemocratic political movements.
—Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 16 Jan. 2025
Tom Nichols: Stalin’s revenge From a liberal point of view, comparing the anti-Soviet revolutions of 1989 with the illiberal revolutions today might seem scandalous.
—Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
If the United States flouts the rules, authoritarians and other illiberal leaders need no further excuse to break them at will, inflicting horror on their own people and inciting instability beyond their borders.
—Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for illiberal
Dictionary Entries Near illiberal
Cite this Entry
“Illiberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illiberal. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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