1
as in national
of or relating to a nation
the country was not destroyed by outside enemies but by a series of civil wars
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polite
showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners
please try to be civil to your ex-husband at the upcoming family wedding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of civil
Ultimately, rebuilding the region will require sustained effort to rebuild accountable institutions and civil society, as well as the economic foundations needed to provide lasting stability.
—
Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2025
On Tuesday, Texas Republicans voted to issue civil arrest warrants for Democrats who fled the state.
—August 5, NPR, 5 Aug. 2025
This would permit drones to be used across the United States for operations like package deliveries, agriculture, aerial surveying and civil interests, including public safety, recreation and flight testing, according to a fact sheet from the FAA.
—Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2025
This took time and a number of corrections but his meals have been tweaked into some sense of normal, civil, dining.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil
Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2025
On Tuesday, Texas Republicans voted to issue civil arrest warrants for Democrats who fled the state.
—August 5, NPR, 5 Aug. 2025
This would permit drones to be used across the United States for operations like package deliveries, agriculture, aerial surveying and civil interests, including public safety, recreation and flight testing, according to a fact sheet from the FAA.
—Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2025
This took time and a number of corrections but his meals have been tweaked into some sense of normal, civil, dining.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil
Adjective
-
At least one lawmaker is ready to join critics who question if Trump's trade war is truly motivated by national security concerns.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Their inclusion signals that, despite internal divisions, the administration is balancing diplomatic outreach with firm national security oversight.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Most of the time, generative AI has been tuned to be relatively polite and offers mild praise, though a user can easily up the ante by simply telling the AI to pour it on.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
There also were multiple paintings scattered throughout the fictional White House that poke fun at Trump’s military bravado as well as an image that seems to involve Trump and a sheep engaged in an activity not meant for polite company, not to mention that deepfake.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
In almost all respects, Masako—true to her breeding—was the very model of a modest and gracious ojōsan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
-
While people are generally gracious about missteps, recent surges in tourist numbers are starting to strain that vaunted hospitality.—
Jessica Kozuka,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Civil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share