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
This does not excuse the way the government acted, the PATRIOT Act’s disregard for civil liberties, or the numbers of hate crimes against Muslim Americans (or the hell that those Americans surely encountered making their way through an airport).
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2024
The Democratic Party of RFK and JFK was the party of civil liberties and free speech.
—Jack Birle, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 15 Aug. 2024
Again, end the forever wars, and protect our civil liberties.
—Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
For example, uniformed military officers are not trained in law enforcement and if they were asked to conduct civilian arrests there could be significant civil liberties conflicts and violations.
—Maryalice Parks, ABC News, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for civil liberty 
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Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2024
The Democratic Party of RFK and JFK was the party of civil liberties and free speech.
—Jack Birle, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 15 Aug. 2024
Again, end the forever wars, and protect our civil liberties.
—Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
For example, uniformed military officers are not trained in law enforcement and if they were asked to conduct civilian arrests there could be significant civil liberties conflicts and violations.
—Maryalice Parks, ABC News, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for civil liberty
Dictionary Entries Near civil liberty
Cite this Entry
“Civil liberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20liberty. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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