| Noun | 1. | liberal - a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil libertiesadult, grownup - a fully developed person from maturity onward armchair liberal - a person of liberal ideals who takes no action to realize them latitudinarian - a person who is broad-minded and tolerant (especially in standards of religious belief and conduct) neoliberal - a liberal who subscribes to neoliberalism pluralist - someone who believes that distinct ethnic or cultural or religious groups can exist together in society Whig - urged social reform in 19th century England | |
| 2. | liberal - a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating marketsadult, grownup - a fully developed person from maturity onward | |
| Adj. | 1. | liberal - showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant of his opponent's opinions"broad-minded - inclined to respect views and beliefs that differ from your own; "a judge who is broad-minded but even-handed" | |
| 2. | liberal - having political or social views favoring reform and progressleft - of or belonging to the political or intellectual left | |
| 3. | liberal - tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditionleft - of or belonging to the political or intellectual left | |
| 4. | liberal - given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather"generous - willing to give and share unstintingly; "a generous donation" | |
| 5. | liberal - not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem" | |