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

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

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

b

: not broad-minded : bigoted

… used the migrant crisis to stir up racist, illiberal views.

—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

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

Drunkenness, 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

e

archaic : lacking or permitting a lack of a liberal arts education

illiberal occupations

illiberality

(ˌ)i(l)-ˌli-bə-ˈra-lə-tē 

noun

plural illiberalities

illiberally

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-b(ə-)rə-lē 

adverb

illiberalness

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-b(ə-)rəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• insular
• Lilliputian
• little
• narrow
• narrow-minded
• parochial
• petty
• picayune
• provincial
• sectarian
• small
• small-minded

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

People who nevertheless support Trump this time around often argue that his illiberal tendencies did not amount to much during his first term. —Jacob Sullum, Orange County Register, 31 Oct. 2024

These illiberal states vary widely in their ideologies but are building a larger web of financial, military, technological, and diplomatic ties in their common efforts to evade Western sanctions and stay in power. —Foreign Affairs, 22 Oct. 2024

With the rising tide of democratic setbacks, the growing assertiveness of Russia and China, and the electoral gains of illiberal populist parties and candidates in Europe and the United States, many observers feared the authoritarian trend was becoming a juggernaut. —Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024

Today illiberal populist movements threaten our democratic institutions in many parts of the world. —Ian Simmons, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin illiberalis ignoble, stingy, from Latin in- + liberalis liberal

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above