ILLIBERAL Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

illiberal

adjective

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-b(ə-)rəl

as in parochial

not broad or open in views or opinions an illiberal society that viewed any artistic depiction of the nude as inherently indecent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in narrow

unwilling to grant other people social rights or to accept other viewpoints some of the more illiberal residents were opposed to having a hospice for AIDS patients in the neighborhood

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vulgar

archaic lacking in refinement or good taste people who had been scorned as illiberal because they were poor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of illiberal This election could reshape not just Hungary but signal a broader European rejection of the illiberal, nationalist movements Orbán inspired among the global far-right. —

Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 Scholars of comparative authoritarianism have long identified the selective application of harsh criminal penalties as a hallmark of illiberal governance. —

Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026 As Orbán over the past decade took a forceful stance against migrants and refugees and proclaimed himself Europe's champion of illiberal Christian democracy, Budapest became a magnet for American conservatives. —

Catherine Belton The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 6 Apr. 2026 The remoteness of the imperial government at Vienna and an increasingly illiberal regime soon aroused discontent in Austria’s Italian province. —

Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for illiberal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for illiberal

Adjective

In the most parochial place that ever was or ever will be, authenticity functions as a means of psychic gatekeeping, and someone who doesn’t speak the lingua Francona isn’t someone who’s worth listening to when the game’s on.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026
Of course, the ever-parochial instincts of Chicago, where neighborhood loyalties rule and aldermen are fiercely protective of their ward domains, means the decision on the location of any future Leo landmark could be contentious.

— Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026