civilized

adjective

civ·​i·​lized ˈsi-və-ˌlīzd How to pronounce civilized (audio)
: characteristic of a state of civilization
civilized society
especially : characterized by taste, refinement, or restraint

Examples of civilized in a Sentence

A civilized society must respond to crime with fairness and justice. Stop yelling. We have to be more civilized about this. Try to act like a civilized human being! a civilized way to spend the evening
Recent Examples on the Web If those people in that grief can disagree with each other but still sit and have a conversation in a civilized way, what is the excuse for the other 350 million of us not to be able to do that. CBS News, 3 Mar. 2024 Because she's shown she can't be trusted on her own to behave in a civilized manner. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 So grab your Yeti and head to your favorite drive-thru because eating in the car has never been this civilized. Amy Stanford, Parents, 9 Feb. 2024 Now that the communications breakdown has been revealed, perhaps Andretti and F1 can get back together and have a more civilized discussion about an entry in 2026. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2024 But the potential risk of major changes to the world as we humans in civilized society have known it for the last 6,000 years is real. Letter Writers, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2024 Execution is a universal punishment for treason; only barbarians violate civilized norms in meting it out. Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023 Location The Hotel Maria is a half-hour drive from Helsinki’s very civilized single-terminal airport and a 15-minute walk from the central train station. Maggie Shipstead, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2024 Zombie creeks come alive On the morning of Sept. 10, 2020, the creeks and streams that President Ulysses S. Grant’s administration corralled into a civilized wastewater system trickled quietly, dormant but undead. John Muyskens, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'civilized.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civilized was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near civilized

Cite this Entry

“Civilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civilized. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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