liberalize

/ˌlɪbərəˈlaɪz/

Other forms: liberalized; liberalizing; liberalizes

Liberalize means to make more liberal––as in, less authoritarian and more open. State-run economies might liberalize by opening up industry, free enterprise, and trade.

Liberalize can also mean "reform." If you have a society that punishes theft by cutting off a culprit's hand, you could liberalize it by changing the punishment to jail time or other less cruel and unusual punishment.

Definitions of liberalize

1. verb

   become more liberal
   “The laws liberalized after Prohibition”

   synonyms: liberalise

   liberalise

   make liberal or more liberal, of laws and rules

   type of:

   change

   undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
2. verb

   make liberal or more liberal, of laws and rules
   synonyms: liberalise

   liberalise

   become more liberal

   types:

   decontrol

   relax or remove controls of

   type of:

   alter, change, modify

   cause to change; make different; cause a transformation