neoliberal

See also: neoliberál, néolibéral, neoliberał, and néo-libéral

English

Alternative forms

• neo-liberal

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *nu

Proto-Indo-European *néwos

Proto-Hellenic *néwos

Ancient Greek νέος (néos)

Ancient Greek νεο- (neo-)der.

English neo-

English liberal

English neoliberal

From neo- + liberal.

Adjective

neoliberal (comparative more neoliberal, superlative most neoliberal)

1. (often derogatory) In accordance with, or subscribing to, neoliberalism.
   • 2016 August 31, Peter Drucker, “Homonationalism, Heteronationalism and LGBTI Rights in the EU”, in Public Seminar‎^[1], archived from the original on 21 February 2026:

     She showed that homonormativity, within the overarching framework of a heteronormative society, has a class dimension: it reflects the ways that a layer of lesbian/gay people are adapting in order to occupy a secure niche within the neoliberal order.

   • 2021, Elena Omelchenko, Youth in Putin's Russia, page 103:

     The masculine discourse of the street workout includes a combination of concepts of strong physicality significant for traditional models of masculinity, alongside neoliberal discourses of individual responsibility for bodily self-production.

Derived terms

• neoliberally
• nonneoliberal

Translations

in accordance with neoliberalism

• Catalan: neoliberal
• Czech: neoliberální
• Dutch: neoliberaal (nl)
• Finnish: uusliberalistinen (fi)
• Georgian: ნეოლიბერალური (neoliberaluri)
• German: neoliberal (de)
• Spanish: neoliberal

Noun

neoliberal (plural neoliberals)

1. (often derogatory) A person who subscribes to neoliberalism.
   • 1984 May 15, Walter Goodman, “AS NEOLIBERALS SEARCH FOR CLOSEST FIT, HART IS OFTEN MENTIONED”, in The New York Times‎^[2], archived from the original on 13 July 2019:

     The neoliberals stand today in somewhat the position neoconservatives occupied a decade ago. Their ambition is to attain the influence in liberal politics that the neoconservatives have attained in conservative politics.

   • 2009, David J. Hess, Localist Movements in a Global Economy, →ISBN, page 25:

     Neoliberals readily admit that economic liberalization causes some dislocations, but they view such collateral damage as necessary for the longer term gains of increased productivity and efficiency.

   • 2026 February 15, @HQuestion2, X‎^[3]:

     neoliberals when a facrory^[sic] in a working class town home to 20,000 families stays open insetad^[sic] of GDP going up .001%

Translations

person who subscribes to neoliberalism

• Catalan: neoliberal m or f
• Czech: neoliberál m
• Dutch: neoliberaal (nl) c
• Finnish: uusliberalisti
• Georgian: ნეოლიბერალი (neoliberali)
• German: Neoliberaler m, Neoliberale f
• Spanish: neoliberal m or f

Related terms

• neoconservative

Catalan

Etymology

From neo- +‎ liberal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern) [ˌne̞.u.li.βəˈɾal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ˌne.o.li.bəˈɾal]
• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˌne.u.li.βəˈɾal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˌne.o.li.beˈɾal]
• IPA^(key): (Northwestern) [ˌne.o.li.βeˈɾal]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Adjective

neoliberal m or f (masculine and feminine plural neoliberals)

1. neoliberal

Noun

neoliberal m or f by sense (plural neoliberals)

1. neoliberal

Related terms

• neoliberalisme

Further reading

• “neoliberal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “neoliberal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.

German

Etymology

neo- +‎ liberal

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈneolibeˌʁaːl]

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: neo‧li‧be‧ral

Adjective

neoliberal (strong nominative masculine singular neoliberaler, not comparable)

1. neoliberal

Declension

Positive forms of neoliberal (uncomparable)

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist neoliberal	sie ist neoliberal	es ist neoliberal	sie sind neoliberal
strong declension (without article)	nominative	neoliberaler	neoliberale	neoliberales	neoliberale
	genitive	neoliberalen	neoliberaler	neoliberalen	neoliberaler
	dative	neoliberalem	neoliberaler	neoliberalem	neoliberalen
	accusative	neoliberalen	neoliberale	neoliberales	neoliberale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der neoliberale	die neoliberale	das neoliberale	die neoliberalen
	genitive	des neoliberalen	der neoliberalen	des neoliberalen	der neoliberalen
	dative	dem neoliberalen	der neoliberalen	dem neoliberalen	den neoliberalen
	accusative	den neoliberalen	die neoliberale	das neoliberale	die neoliberalen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein neoliberaler	eine neoliberale	ein neoliberales	(keine) neoliberalen
	genitive	eines neoliberalen	einer neoliberalen	eines neoliberalen	(keiner) neoliberalen
	dative	einem neoliberalen	einer neoliberalen	einem neoliberalen	(keinen) neoliberalen
	accusative	einen neoliberalen	eine neoliberale	ein neoliberales	(keine) neoliberalen

Further reading

• “neoliberal” in Duden online

Romanian

Etymology

From neo- +‎ liberal.

Adjective

neoliberal m or n (feminine singular neoliberală, masculine plural neoliberali, feminine/neuter plural neoliberale)

1. neoliberal

Declension

Declension of neoliberal

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	neoliberal		neoliberală	neoliberali	neoliberale
	definite	neoliberalul		neoliberala	neoliberalii	neoliberalele
genitive- dative	indefinite	neoliberal		neoliberale	neoliberali	neoliberale
	definite	neoliberalului		neoliberalei	neoliberalilor	neoliberalelor

Noun

neoliberal m (plural neoliberali)

1. neoliberal

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	neoliberal	neoliberalul	neoliberali	neoliberalii
genitive-dative	neoliberal	neoliberalului	neoliberali	neoliberalilor
vocative	neoliberalule		neoliberalilor

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *nu

Proto-Indo-European *néwos

Proto-Hellenic *néwos

Ancient Greek νέος (néos)

Ancient Greek νεο- (neo-)bor.

Spanish neo-

Spanish liberal

Spanish neoliberal

From neo- + liberal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /neolibeˈɾal/ [ne.o.li.β̞eˈɾal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: ne‧o‧li‧be‧ral

Adjective

neoliberal m or f (masculine and feminine plural neoliberales)

1. neoliberal

Noun

neoliberal m or f by sense (plural neoliberales)

1. neoliberal

Related terms

• neoliberalismo

Further reading

• “neoliberal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025