civil rights
plural noun
: rights that citizens are guaranteed by their government through legislation or other government action to ensure equal opportunities (as for employment, education, housing, or voting) and equal protection under the law regardless of personal characteristics such as race, religion, or sex
especially
: the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress
Note: The 13th Amendment (ratified 1865) abolished slavery and the 14th Amendment (ratified 1868) granted citizenship and equal rights to all people born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people and African Americans generally. The 15th Amendment (ratified 1870) guaranteed the right to vote regardless of color or former enslavement.
compare civil liberty see also civil rights movementExamples of civil rights in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For much of the 20th century, Democrats drew major support from rural areas due to the party’s alignment with the working class and 100 years of single-party rule in the South spanning Reconstruction to the civil rights era.
—
Shannon M. Monnat, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025
Some civil rights leaders voiced opposition to the change after news about it began spreading over the weekend.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Dec. 2025
The event puts the spotlight back on leadership, age, and the role of public figures in the nation's ongoing civil rights discussions.
—Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
The facility is facing a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU and other civil rights groups, which alleges serious operational failures—including raw sewage leaks, insect infestations, insufficient medical care, and inadequate food and clothing for cold weather.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil rights
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Shannon M. Monnat, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025
Some civil rights leaders voiced opposition to the change after news about it began spreading over the weekend.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Dec. 2025
The event puts the spotlight back on leadership, age, and the role of public figures in the nation's ongoing civil rights discussions.
—Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
The facility is facing a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU and other civil rights groups, which alleges serious operational failures—including raw sewage leaks, insect infestations, insufficient medical care, and inadequate food and clothing for cold weather.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil rights
Cite this Entry
“Civil rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20rights. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
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