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

civil libertarian noun

plural civil libertarians

civil libertarian adjective

… continued divisions within the GOP on civil libertarian issues. —Ian Duncan and Lisa Mascaro

Examples of civil liberty in a Sentence

Freedom of speech is a civil liberty.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

San Francisco has approved the use of Flock cameras for public safety, setting up a debate over how to balance investigative benefits with civil liberties protections. — CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 More than 3,000 people have since been arrested for holding signs in support of Palestine Action and its proscription has been criticized by civil liberties groups. — CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 The film recognizes a film that exemplifies the values of peace, equality, global justice and civil liberties. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 The host played an alcoholic cop hosting a talk show, harassing his guests and violating their civil liberties along with his partner, Mikey Day. — Charu Sinha, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for civil liberty

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of civil liberty was in 1640

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

civil libertarian

civil liberty

civil list

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Civil liberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20liberty. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Legal Definition

civil liberty

noun

: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's pursuits (as in expressing thoughts, practicing a religion, or pursuing a living) by individuals or especially by the government and especially as constitutionally guaranteed

—usually used in pl. see also civil right

civil liberty

noun

Examples of civil liberty in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Legal Definition

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes