Illiberal
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Illiberal is an adjective meaning Restricting or failing to sufficiently promote individual choice and freedom.
Meaning
Restricting or failing to sufficiently promote individual choice and freedom.
More Meanings
- Narrow-minded; bigoted.
- (economics, politics) Not adhering to either liberalism or neoliberalism.
- One opposed to liberal principles.
- (archaic) Ungenerous, stingy.
Example Sentences
Accordingly, that form of Popery, which prevailed in Scotland, was of the moſt bigotted and illiberal kind.
While they maintained a denominational character, they were in nowise illiberal, and set up no religious test for entrance.
Unless the administration compels all workers to invest in life cycle accounts — an illiberal but nonetheless sensible idea — this particular danger cannot be eliminated.
...the final offer made on the part of the King was that the Queen should have an allowance of 52,000 pounds a year— not, one would have thought, a very illiberal allowance for the daughter of a small German prince.
Word Forms
- illiberals
Synonyms for illiberal
Depending on context, synonyms include bossy, bigoted, stingy, mercantilist, protectionist, procontrol.
Antonyms for illiberal
Common opposites include liberal.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include narrow-minded, narrow, intolerant, bigoted, parochial, judgmental.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.