libertarian

noun

lib·​er·​tar·​i·​an ˌli-bər-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce libertarian (audio)
-ˈte-rē-
1
: an advocate of the doctrine of free will
2
a
: a person who upholds the principles of individual liberty especially of thought and action
b
capitalized : a member of a political party advocating libertarian principles
libertarian adjective
libertarianism noun

Examples of libertarian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The principle that property rights apply to all human beings regardless of race or creed is held true by both classical liberals and libertarians. Wanjiru Njoya, Orange County Register, 13 Feb. 2024 Civil libertarians are celebrating the recent announcement by Amazon that law enforcement agencies will no longer be able to obtain Ring doorbell camera videos just by asking. Stephen L. Carter, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024 The Gadsden flag, dating back to the Revolutionary War, has become a symbol of individual liberty and resistance to government authority and has been most recently embraced by the far right and right-leaning libertarians. Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 21 Feb. 2024 My new video shows how the mainstream media treat conservatives and libertarians differently. John Stossel, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 2024 California’s measure became law in 1992 after a battle that pitted libertarians and motorcyclists, including outlaw bikers, against public safety advocates and medical professionals. Jim Guy, Sacramento Bee, 16 Feb. 2024 But unlike real life, the titular events of Boys Weekend take place on a high-tech island where rich libertarians spout babble about pyramid schemes — the latest version of which might just be the front for a Lovecraftian cult. Christian Holub, EW.com, 29 June 2023 The battle over the government’s foreign-surveillance powers pits GOP security hawks against an alliance of progressives and civil libertarians. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 12 Dec. 2023 So far, DAOs have attracted a wild mix of libertarians, activists, pranksters, and hobbyists. Julia Ebner, WIRED, 24 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'libertarian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of libertarian was in 1789

Dictionary Entries Near libertarian

Cite this Entry

“Libertarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libertarian. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

libertarian

noun
lib·​er·​tar·​i·​an ˌlib-ər-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce libertarian (audio)
: a person who believes in liberty of thought and action
libertarian adjective
libertarianism noun

More from Merriam-Webster on libertarian

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