WorldJuly 14, 2026

liberalization

/ˌlɪbərəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/

Definition

The process of making political, social, or economic systems more open, democratic, and less restricted by state control.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'liberalis' (befitting a free man), the term evolved through French and English to describe the act of granting more liberty or freedom, particularly in institutional or governmental contexts.

In the news

The article uses the term to contrast the social and economic reforms occurring in Saudi Arabia with the absence of genuine political reforms, noting that the country is not experiencing political liberalization.

Canada is making a bet on Saudi Arabia despite war and political risk

Read the full article ↗

CBC

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.