liberty
liberty — noun
1. The condition in which people are not ruled by a harsh or unfair government and
The condition in which people are not ruled by a harsh or unfair government and can freely express their opinions, gather with others, and take part in political life.
The new constitution guarantees every citizen the right to liberty and personal safety.
collocation: right to liberty
After decades of military rule, the country finally achieved true liberty.
Ayana argued that strict internet monitoring threatens the basic liberties of ordinary people.
plural form: liberties
The Statue of Liberty has long stood as a symbol of freedom for people arriving from overseas.
proper noun: Statue of Liberty
Ravindra's family fled political violence in search of liberty and peace.
- civil liberties
- political liberty
- individual liberty
- fight for liberty
- defend liberty
- threaten liberty
- freedom
broader and more common than 'liberty'; covers both personal and political contexts
- autonomy
emphasizes self-governance and independence from outside control, often used for regions or groups
- independence
focuses on being free from control by another country or authority
- oppression
prolonged cruel or unfair treatment by those in power
- tyranny
harsh, absolute rule by a single leader or government
Grammar Patterns
liberty to + infinitive
civil liberties
personal liberties
Usage Note
Often appears in the plural form 'liberties' when referring to specific rights protected by law, such as 'civil liberties' or 'individual liberties.'
Common Mistakes
2. The ability to live your daily life in the way you want, making your own choices
The ability to live your daily life in the way you want, making your own choices about work, relationships, and habits without other people controlling you.
Teenagers often argue with their parents about how much personal liberty they should have.
collocation: personal liberty
Haruto chose to work as a freelancer because he valued his liberty more than a steady salary.
Living alone for the first time gave Pim a wonderful feeling of liberty.
The pandemic forced people around the world to give up some personal liberties for public safety.
plural: personal liberties
A group of friends rented a cabin in the mountains, enjoying the liberty to wake up whenever they pleased.
liberty to + infinitive
- personal liberty
- individual liberty
- value liberty
- enjoy liberty
- give up liberty
- freedom
everyday word for being able to do what you want; less formal than 'liberty'
- independence
not relying on others for money, housing, or decisions
- restriction
a rule or limit that prevents you from doing what you want
- dependence
relying on others to make decisions for you
Grammar Patterns
the liberty to + infinitive
someone's personal liberty
Usage Note
Overlaps with 'freedom' in everyday speech. 'Liberty' can sound slightly more formal or legal; 'freedom' is more common in casual conversation about everyday choices.
Common Mistakes
3. The formal or legal right that allows a person to do or say something that would
The formal or legal right that allows a person to do or say something that would otherwise not be permitted.
The students did not have the liberty to leave the school grounds during lunch.
have the liberty to + infinitive
Employees at the company are given the liberty to set their own working hours.
passive: are given the liberty
Christopher asked for the liberty to speak openly during the meeting without being interrupted.
The judge granted the journalist the liberty to report on the closed hearing.
collocation: grant the liberty
A visa gives foreign visitors the liberty to stay in the country for a limited period.
- have the liberty to
- grant liberty
- give someone the liberty
- ask for the liberty
- permission
more common in everyday English; less formal than 'liberty'
- authorization
official approval from an authority, often written
- entitlement
a right to something that the law or rules say you deserve
- prohibition
an official order or rule that forbids something
- ban
an official decision to stop something from being done
Grammar Patterns
have the liberty to + infinitive
give someone the liberty to + infinitive
Usage Note
Frequently used in legal, official, or workplace contexts. For everyday permission (like asking to borrow a pen), 'permission' is more natural.
Common Mistakes
4. The state of not being held in prison, jail, or any form of physical confinement
The state of not being held in prison, jail, or any form of physical confinement; the condition of being able to move freely.
The hostage was finally set at liberty after six months of captivity.
phrase: set at liberty
The rescued bird was returned to liberty once its injured wing had healed.
Élise wrote a moving poem about the joy of liberty after her release from detention.
The dogs rescued from the abandoned building were restored to liberty and placed in a shelter.
phrase: restored to liberty
The court ordered that the wrongly accused man be immediately set at liberty.
passive: be set at liberty
- set at liberty
- restore to liberty
- at liberty
- captivity
the state of being kept as a prisoner or in a confined space
- imprisonment
the state of being in prison
- confinement
the act of being kept in a restricted space
Grammar Patterns
at liberty
restore someone to liberty
set someone at liberty
Usage Note
Nearly always appears in set phrases like 'set at liberty' or 'restored to liberty.' Outside legal or formal writing, 'set free' or 'release' are more common.
Common Mistakes
5. The power or right to decide between different options based on your own judgmen
The power or right to decide between different options based on your own judgment, without being forced or pressured by others.
The new policy gives patients the liberty to choose their own doctor.
liberty to + infinitive
Kian believes that shoppers should have the liberty to decide which brands to support.
In a real democracy, voters have the liberty to support whichever candidate they trust most.
The university allows students the liberty to select their own courses after the first year.
collocation: allow someone the liberty
Sofie valued the liberty of deciding what to study without her parents telling her what to do.
liberty of + gerund
- have the liberty to choose
- liberty of deciding
- give someone the liberty
- allow the liberty
- choice
simpler and more direct; 'the power of choice' is a common paraphrase
- discretion
formal; the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation
- compulsion
being forced to do something against your will
- coercion
the use of threats or pressure to make someone do something
Grammar Patterns
have the liberty to + infinitive
the liberty of + gerund
Usage Note
Closely related to sense 3 (PERMISSION), but sense 3 focuses on official authorization while sense 5 focuses on the general ability to choose between options.
6. An action or remark that goes beyond what is considered polite or respectful, of
An action or remark that goes beyond what is considered polite or respectful, often making others feel uncomfortable because the person behaves as if they have a closer relationship than they actually do.
Nellie felt that her neighbor had taken a liberty by reading her private mail.
take a liberty
The young journalist was criticized for taking liberties with the facts in her report.
take liberties with + facts
I know you mean well, but taking the liberty of giving my number to strangers is not acceptable.
take the liberty of + gerund
The guest took the liberty of helping himself to a drink from the host's private cabinet.
Aunt Rosa took the liberty of rearranging the kitchen furniture while we were on holiday.
concrete scenario: rearranging furniture without asking
- take liberties with
- take a liberty
- take the liberty of
- presumption
behavior that is too confident and shows a lack of respect for others' feelings
- impertinence
rudeness or lack of respect, especially toward someone older or in authority
- overfamiliarity
acting as if you know someone better than you really do
- politeness
behavior that shows respect and consideration for others
- deference
polite respect shown toward someone, especially an older person or authority
Grammar Patterns
take liberties with someone/something
take the liberty of + gerund
Usage Note
Often expresses mild annoyance rather than serious offense. 'Take the liberty of' can sometimes be used politely ('I took the liberty of ordering coffee for you') — the context determines how negative it sounds.
Common Mistakes
7. The act of changing someone else's work, story, or information in a way that goe
The act of changing someone else's work, story, or information in a way that goes beyond acceptable limits, often distorting the original meaning or truth.
The editor took far too many liberties with the novelist's original manuscript.
take liberties with + manuscript
Historical movies often take liberties with real events to create a more exciting story.
take liberties with + real events
Chiara complained that the ghostwriter had taken gross liberties with her life story.
The court found that the newspaper had taken liberties with the witness's original statement.
Marta warned her team not to take liberties with the data when preparing the final report.
domain: data/reporting — distorting facts
- take liberties with
- take gross liberties
- take too many liberties
- distortion
the act of twisting or changing facts, especially deliberately
- falsification
more serious: deliberately making something false
- misrepresentation
giving a false or misleading account of something
Grammar Patterns
take liberties with + noun phrase (text, facts, truth)
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 6 (RUDE FAMILIARITY): sense 7 is about textual or factual distortion, while sense 6 is about social rudeness. Both use 'take liberties with,' but the object determines the meaning.
Common Mistakes
8. Physical or sexual behavior toward someone that is too familiar for the relation
Physical or sexual behavior toward someone that is too familiar for the relationship, done without clear permission and often making the other person feel uncomfortable or threatened.
The manager was dismissed for taking liberties with junior members of staff.
take liberties with + person (workplace context)
Iris felt deeply uncomfortable when her date began to take liberties during the ride home.
The swimming coach faced serious accusations of taking liberties with young athletes.
Dylan warned his friend not to take any liberties with his younger sister at the party.
possessive: take liberties with someone's relative
- take liberties with
- take liberties with someone
- molestation
much stronger and more serious; a legal term for unwanted sexual touching
- harassment
unwanted behavior that makes someone feel intimidated or offended
Grammar Patterns
take liberties with + person
Usage Note
This is a dated but still understood expression. In modern English, more direct terms like 'harassment' or 'assault' are often preferred in serious contexts, but 'take liberties' is still used in less formal accounts or historical fiction.
Common Mistakes
To do something without first asking for permission, usually because you believe the other person will not mind or because you want to be helpful or polite.
I took the liberty of ordering a taxi for you so you would not have to wait in the rain.
Jack took the liberty of reserving a table by the window for the dinner celebration.
at liberty
idiomFree to do something because you are not busy, restricted, or prohibited; available or allowed.
I will call you back when I am at liberty to speak freely about the matter.
The detective said he was not at liberty to discuss the details of the ongoing investigation.
Having permission or the freedom to do something.
You are at liberty to leave the meeting early if needed.
Is the witness at liberty to share that information?
To make unacceptable or disrespectful changes to something or someone.
The director took liberties with the original story in his film.
Maya felt the editor took liberties with her article without asking.
Word family
- libertiesnounB2
- liberateverbB2
- liberationnounB2
- liberatornounC1
- liberatedadjectiveB2
- libertariannounC1
- illiberaladjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Freedom and liberty are closely related but differ in emphasis. Freedom is the broader, more everyday word — it covers everything from political rights ('freedom of speech') to simple personal situations ('the freedom to choose a movie'). Liberty is slightly more formal and often appears in legal or political contexts ('civil liberties,' 'the right to liberty'). Independence focuses on not being controlled by another country, group, or person — a colony gains independence; a teenager wants independence from parents. Autonomy is the most specific of the group, referring to self-governance at a group or individual level; regions can have political autonomy, and professionals can have autonomy to make their own decisions. In a sentence: 'The country gained independence from colonial rule, and its citizens now enjoy the liberty to vote and the freedom to criticise the government.'
Common collocations
Nouns
- civil liberties
- individual liberty
- personal liberty
- political liberty
- religious liberty
Phrases
- right to liberty
- fight for liberty
- defend liberty
- threaten liberty
- set at liberty
- restore to liberty
- take liberties with
- take the liberty of
Prepositions
- at liberty
- of liberty
Etymology
Liberty comes from Latin 'libertas,' meaning 'freedom' or 'the condition of a free person,' which in turn comes from 'liber' ('free'). The word entered English through Old French 'liberte' in the 1300s. For centuries it has carried both a broad political meaning — freedom from tyrannical government — and a personal one — the freedom to make your own choices. The expression 'take liberties with' dates back to the 1500s and originally referred to overstepping social boundaries.