variants
also British civilised
1
: marked by well-organized laws and rules about how people behave with each other
A civilized society must respond to crime with fairness and justice.
a more civilized culture
a person known throughout the civilized world [=everywhere people live in well-organized and developed societies]
2
: polite, reasonable, and respectful
Stop yelling. We have to be more civilized about this.
a civilized conversation
Try to act like a civilized human being!
civilized behavior
3
a
: pleasant and comfortable
With my new job, I'll be able to start my day at a more civilized hour. [=at a time that is not so early in the morning]
a civilized way to spend the evening
b
: showing concern for what is correct according to social rules
They lived in a more civilized era. [=a time when people were more concerned with what was proper]
Cite this Entry
“Civilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/civilized. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
