1
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
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2
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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3
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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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 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 My own passage into and back out of unbelief—one marked by a close reading of works that earlier illiberal societies had attempted to suppress on religious grounds—has strengthened my liberal commitments. —Christopher Beha, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 Hungary remains a democracy in name, but an illiberal one in substance. —Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for illiberal
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 My own passage into and back out of unbelief—one marked by a close reading of works that earlier illiberal societies had attempted to suppress on religious grounds—has strengthened my liberal commitments. —Christopher Beha, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 Hungary remains a democracy in name, but an illiberal one in substance. —Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for illiberal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illiberal
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Research shows the disparity between vaccination coverage in private and parochial/religious versus public schools is that private and parochial/religious schools tend to have higher rates of exemptions to vaccinations for moral and religious beliefs.— Kar-Hai Chu, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
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But quietly, the third-year forward had put himself in position for a more parochial reserve reward, one that caught him unaware.— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
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The shape of a pot affects drainage, with taller, narrower pots draining better than shorter, wider ones.— Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Apr. 2026
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The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, previously handled about 20 percent of the world’s oil shipments.— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026
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The word was considered so vulgar that it was left out of early dictionaries and was rarely printed, though Adams says people were certainly using it.— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
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One day, Dahlstrom made a vulgar joke in a lunchroom referencing oral sex and pubic hair, according to the employee.— Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
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It was found [that] the actual tumor was pretty small.— Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
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Then, the family says two others broke through a small window, manhandled their dogs and stole priceless mementos handed down through their family over generations, along with the cash.— Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
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This is a guy who could write these incredibly bigoted figures, and then also write this really searing indictment of American materialism.— Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2026
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On Sunday Hungary’s far-right leader Viktor Orban fell in an election after 16 years of some of the most bigoted and, by many accounts, corrupt rule in post-Soviet Eastern Europe.— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2026
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Alas, Deborah’s crass attempt to extort her fans immediately goes sideways.— Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
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Right now in America, when our discourse has gotten so crass and mean-spirited that to show the underlying kindness of this show is really resonating.— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
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There are some pretty gross, petty and violent acts of revenge.— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?— Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
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The premium cruise line also supports local businesses when buying baklava in Turkey, cold cuts in Greece, cheeses in Quebec and beer in Alaska, among other provincial provisions.— David Dickstein, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
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The interior and education ministries held a joint school security meeting in the capital, Ankara, on Thursday, that was attended by both ministers and all 81 of Turkey’s provincial governors, as well as police chiefs and provincial education directors.— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illiberal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/illiberal. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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