civil liberty
noun
plural civil liberties
: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's speech or actions by other individuals or by the government especially as constitutionally guaranteed (as by the U.S. Bill of Rights)
—usually plural
Examples of civil liberties include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, the right to privacy, and the right to due process of law.—
Ramon Martin
compare civil rights
Ramon Martin
civil libertarian
noun
plural civil libertarians
Civil libertarians contend that the heightened scrutiny has discouraged illegal immigrants from seeking marriage, … a fundamental right protected under the Constitution.
—Randy Kennedy
Randy Kennedy
civil libertarian
adjective
… continued divisions within the GOP on civil libertarian issues.
—Ian Duncan and Lisa Mascaro
Ian Duncan and Lisa Mascaro
Examples of civil liberty in a Sentence
Freedom of speech is a civil liberty.
Recent Examples on the Web
The goal, civil liberties advocates say, is to silence protesters through campaigns that have cost targets jobs and led to death threats.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 13 Apr. 2025
His detention and sudden transport to Louisiana has intensified debates over civil liberties and due process.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
An anti-deepfake bill is on the verge of becoming US law despite concerns from civil liberties groups that it could be used by President Trump and others to censor speech that has nothing to do with the intent of the bill.
—ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025
These actions are a direct attack on fundamental civil liberties and will further erode American influence abroad.
—Orlando Sentinel and Virginian Pilot Editorial Boards, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil liberty
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 13 Apr. 2025
His detention and sudden transport to Louisiana has intensified debates over civil liberties and due process.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
An anti-deepfake bill is on the verge of becoming US law despite concerns from civil liberties groups that it could be used by President Trump and others to censor speech that has nothing to do with the intent of the bill.
—ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025
These actions are a direct attack on fundamental civil liberties and will further erode American influence abroad.
—Orlando Sentinel and Virginian Pilot Editorial Boards, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil liberty
Cite this Entry
“Civil liberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20liberty. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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