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
Through slavery and emancipation, Jim Crow and civil rights, war and peace, all that Black Americans have ever wanted is a fair chance to pursue the American dream.
—
Eugene Robinson, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
When asked about the best techniques for defusing tense encounters while still maintaining the right to protect, civil rights advocates in Connecticut are generally recommending online training in turning down the heat on face-to-face encounters with ICE agents or counter-protestors.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
The Gary Public Transportation Corporation is celebrating transit equity and former civil rights leader Rosa Parks by offering free fare on Wednesday.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Lemon’s arrest came after the Department of Justice sought to charge him with a civil rights violation for disrupting a religious service during a Minnesota ICE Protest.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil rights
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Eugene Robinson, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
When asked about the best techniques for defusing tense encounters while still maintaining the right to protect, civil rights advocates in Connecticut are generally recommending online training in turning down the heat on face-to-face encounters with ICE agents or counter-protestors.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
The Gary Public Transportation Corporation is celebrating transit equity and former civil rights leader Rosa Parks by offering free fare on Wednesday.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Lemon’s arrest came after the Department of Justice sought to charge him with a civil rights violation for disrupting a religious service during a Minnesota ICE Protest.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 3 Feb. 2026
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 5 Feb. 2026.
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