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
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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
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His few lines of dialogue have a power that far exceeds their word count, but what speaks for Jeremy most of the time are his physical gestures, which blend blank detachment with willful ferocity.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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There is also a thoughtful kind of affection in the air that is less about grand gestures and more about shared understanding.—
Georgia Nichols,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Civilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilities. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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