civilities

Definition of civilitiesnext
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
Noun
  • 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
  • Leonora measures out her days in courtesies and slights, the former dominating the beginning of the book, the latter rapidly gaining ground.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • No stage director was listed in the program, but with singers on a stage extension in front of the orchestra, a few subtle gestures lent striking effects.
    Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Housekeepers from top hotels shared the small gestures guests can make to help cleaning services be more efficient.
    Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
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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“Civilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilities. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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