1
as in courtesy
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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2
as in manners
speech or behavior that is a sign of good breeding
treated people from all walks of life with the same unfailing civility
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of civility
Laws promote civility, but only if cops effectively enforce them.
—
Wendy Murphy, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Guerra credited the League of Women Voters with encouraging civility.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Blending absurdist humor with social critique, the series explores how civility can be weaponized to justify cruelty.
—Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
But the court refused to add civility requirements to the bar’s Rules of Professional Conduct, violations of which can be punished by fines, suspension and even disbarment.
—Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civility
Wendy Murphy, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Guerra credited the League of Women Voters with encouraging civility.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Blending absurdist humor with social critique, the series explores how civility can be weaponized to justify cruelty.
—Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
But the court refused to add civility requirements to the bar’s Rules of Professional Conduct, violations of which can be punished by fines, suspension and even disbarment.
—Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civility
Noun
-
Photograph courtesy Larysa Khodymchuk Nataliia had made many visits to Chernobyl over the years.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
JetBlue said customers with disabilities will still be invited to pre-board, while active military members and those traveling with car seats or strollers will be offered courtesy boarding.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Did my mom teach me manners that no longer exist?—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
That kind of no-reply email must surely be bad manners, or worse.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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My background as an art historian pushed me to consider that there might be an understanding of a collective experience in that idiosyncratic gesture I’d made.—
Lilyanna D'Amato,
ARTnews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
These gestures are shaped by a mix of influencer aesthetics and pop culture.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The goldendoodle’s shoulder tap felt almost human in its politeness, and the woman’s response — smiling, breaking off a piece and blowing on it — felt effortlessly warm.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
-
When talking to your peers, politeness is of paramount importance.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This 50-room boutique hotel in the French Quarter of Charleston aims to nurture a sense of relaxation and comfort, elegance and warm hospitality.—
Asa Canty,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Apr. 2026
-
For many women of color, the slick-back bun was, and is, a perfect intersection of elegance and endurance.—
Elizabeth Gulino,
Allure,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During the reception, Princess Kate shared an emotional moment with Tony Gledhill, a former Metropolitan Police officer who received the George Cross for gallantry in 1966.—
Helen Murphy,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
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In 2020, Magawa received the PDSA Dickin medal for gallantry, which recognizes heroism in animals.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a gentleness, patience, care, and concentration in meaningful work, an attentiveness close to love, that embodies the best in culture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
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Once traversed by Genghis Khan, this is a focal point of Scythian-Turkic culture, whose arid slopes somehow sustain nomadic life that demands constant attentiveness to the environment.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Traits women are often taught to value, like thoughtfulness, awareness and generosity, can become a form of power when they’re used deliberately.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
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Honesty, honor, humility, truth, compassion, humanity, thoughtfulness, morality, true strength and decency.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Civility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civility. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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