civilities

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
  • 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
Noun
  • Macho Cowboy At the top of the pinnacle of power within the telenovela structure is the macho cowboy whose high emotional expressions of jealousy, anger, and confrontation are accepted as passionate acts of strength or romantic gestures.
    — Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Chris Matthews, with Blankies 4 My Buddies, said those seemingly small gestures can carry meaning.
    — Jamal Goss, CBS News, 29 Sep. 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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Cite this Entry

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

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