Definitions

laissez-faire

[les-ey fair, le-sey fer] / ˌlɛs eɪ ˈfɛər, lɛ seɪ ˈfɛr /

NOUN

abstention from interference

Synonyms

WEAK

do-nothing policy for the most free enterprise free hand inaction indifference individualism laisser aller laisser passer latitude let-alone policy live and let live neutrality noninterference nonintervention nonrestriction part unrestrained by law free trade permissiveness

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.

“In the transition, I told the incoming Trump team that they should really pick up that dialogue. But the Trump administration’s view was just far more laissez-faire, and they didn’t seem particularly interested in it.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

The private-college sector didn’t rise in a laissez-faire market.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Van Dyke’s arrest signals that U.S. authorities won’t ignore allegations of egregious behavior on the platforms, even as the Trump administration has otherwise taken a largely laissez-faire approach to prediction markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Polymarket has taken a more laissez-faire approach to inside information.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

By 1966, the warders had adopted a laissez-faire attitude: we could talk as much as we wanted as long as we worked.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Vocabulary lists containing laissez-faire

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