liberal arts

NOUN

general knowledge studies

Synonyms

STRONGEST

mathematics

WEAK

general education history language liberal studies literature philosophy science trivium and quadrivium

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He advised students in liberal arts to major in law, accounting, or Chinese literature, reasoning that these fields most commonly led to recruitment after civil service exams.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Amundsen’s work is in keeping with the rest of the show, which fills two halls at the liberal arts school with visual and multimedia works that probe the persistence of radioactive materials.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

“Vladimir” began shooting in July 2025 in Toronto, which stood in for an undefined liberal arts college town.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

I am going to have to pick on liberal arts majors.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Apart from the liberal arts, the skills of the educated, there were plenty of arts that involved manual labour—mechanical arts—such as goldsmithing or masonry.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton