civilities

noun

plural of civility
as in courtesies
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners after the usual civilities, the parents and the principal had a serious talk about the boy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for civilities
  1. courtesies
  2. gestures
Noun
  • Small courtesies keep big efforts moving forward.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
  • With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.
    — Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of courtesies
Noun
  • Gottman’s research on repair attempts shows that small gestures during a fight, like a joke or an apology, can defuse escalation.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
  • These ordinary conversations and small gestures, like listening or admitting mistakes, accumulate to define a leader's reputation and leave a lasting impression, far more than grand visions or formal reviews.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of gestures
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.

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civilians
civilities
civility
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Cite this Entry

“Civilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilities. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civilities

Nglish: Translation of civilities for Spanish Speakers

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