liberalization

American  

[lib-er-uh-lahy-zey-shuhn, lib-ruh-] / ˌlɪb ər əˌlaɪˈzeɪ ʃən, ˌlɪb rə- /

especially British, liberalisation

noun

1. the state of being or becoming more favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.

   The liberalization of Anglican thought predates the rise of Protestant fundamentalism.

2. the act or process of making something, such as laws or regulations, less restrictive, or the state of being or becoming less restrictive.

   The president has proposed liberalization of the criminal code to allow for a reduction in maximum sentences and the introduction of monetary fines for less severe offenses.

   The government is updating existing contracts with some foreign companies to favor liberalization and free market competition.

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Other Word Forms

• overliberalization noun

Etymology

Origin of liberalization

liberaliz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

Last week, US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who is in charge of mineral resources in the United States, visited Venezuela to push for a liberalization of the country's mining laws.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

India’s largest trading partner in goods and services, seems to have prompted a new push for economic liberalization in New Delhi.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

One classic argument for agricultural trade liberalization is to let countries exploit their comparative advantages and grow what they grow best.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 26, 2024

In 1990, Ryzhkov announced a price liberalization program that was intended to overcome the deficit of some staples and help fill the shelves.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2024

The sermon, like others we have heard of late, shows a certain progress and liberalization even in the holding of the absolute tenets which constitute what has been hitherto held as orthodoxy.

From From the Oak to the Olive A Plain record of a Pleasant Journey by Howe, Julia Ward