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
  • From arrival to the smallest gestures, everything flows naturally, guided by near-invisible discretion, care that is felt rather than seen.
    María Casbas, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Jan. 2026
  • But Crockett puts equal value on the small gestures.
    Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 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 29 Jan. 2026.

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