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
  • If they were mean, like too many real-life city council visitors, her above-and-beyond gestures could seem foolish.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The refresh rate is dynamic, reaching up to 120Hz, and the panel offers 10-point touch for finger gestures.
    — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

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 14 Nov. 2026.

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