societal

adjective

so·​ci·​e·​tal sə-ˈsī-ə-tᵊl How to pronounce societal (audio)
: of or relating to society : social
societal forces
societally adverb

Examples of societal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Not everybody wants to eliminate the societal issues that can come from this technology. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024 One societal change today that’s leading to angst among workers is the rising use of artificial intelligence. Byjohn Kell, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2024 The two women filmmakers behind the now viral series speak to Glamour on how interrogating pop culture can lead to societal change and what needs to happen next. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024 The idea of an individual decision despite these societal issues can be tempting, Kumar says, and that’s where parental choice comes in. Fortesa Latifi, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024 The third looks at the tumbling global birthrate and hard societal choices ahead. Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2024 Video Ad Feedback 01:22 - Source: CNN The protests appear have brought back to the fore deep societal divisions in Israel papered over by the initial reaction to the events of October 7. Joshua Berlinger, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024 In order to achieve the societal benefits that micromobility has the potential to provide, in addition to regulating micromobility, cities should consider subsidizing these services. Regina Clewlow, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 Combating these rising losses will require premium increases, risk management, and broader societal efforts, according to Swiss Re experts. Alex Zank, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'societal.' 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

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of societal was in 1890

Dictionary Entries Near societal

Cite this Entry

“Societal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/societal. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on societal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!