civilization

noun

ˌsi-və-lə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce civilization (audio)
Definition of civilizationnext
1
as in lifestyle
the way people live at a particular time and place a documentary on the advanced civilization created by the Mayas over a thousand years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in culture
a high level of taste and enlightenment as a result of extensive intellectual training and exposure to the arts by the 18th century Boston had reached a level of civilization sufficiently advanced to support a circle of portrait painters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of civilization And what’s dramatic about this is that having grown up on a remote mountain farm in the 1940s, away from almost any remnant of civilization, Mikey has zero context for his erotic yearnings. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 Some of Western civilization’s greatest artists, including Botticelli, Raphael, Rubens, Canova, Cezanne, and Picasso, have all adapted their forms according to the tastes of the time. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 And to be useful, these civilizations need to be predictable. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026 If the Fermi Explorer mission can knock down a couple of the filters that might explain the Fermi paradox, that only leaves a few options for why our galaxy appears not to be littered with alien civilizations. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for civilization
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civilization
  1. lifestyle
  2. culture
  3. society
  4. accomplishment
  5. life
  6. education
  7. cultivation
  8. refinement
Noun
  • There is no cure for COPD and treatment requires lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, or therapies such as medications.
    — Dr. Jennifer Miao, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Kallmeyer noted that the idea was to make the Centre, which is originally created as a tennis performance shoe, and turn into a lifestyle sneaker.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of lifestyle
Noun
  • The team culture is nice, the family room is great and the player development complex is a bonus, but the money is really what brings free agents to the table.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The researchers plan to develop better in-vitro culture strategies to extend muscle life, as well as neuron-like flexible thin-film electrodes that can distribute electrical stimulation more uniformly across the tissue.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of culture
Noun
  • Socialists are counting on the promise of a society where all needs are met by a benevolent government to convert voters to their ranks.
    — Nolan Finley The Detroit News, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The beauty of our Constitution is that regulatory tools are available to help cure problems in our society, not to change our economic system but to move toward a contented citizenry.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of society
Noun
  • Still, with all the aforementioned accomplishments, and decades later, Steinem said that her naysayers used her bunny work in an attempt to discredit her.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • To Morrison, as well as to the filmmakers, this awful backstory makes something cathartic of his accomplishment.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of accomplishment
Noun
  • Captivated by the notion, Bell and I tried it and had the time of our lives.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Even some of the signings who have made fast starts to life in the Premier League are still finding their feet.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of life
Noun
  • In 2008, as a publisher and education activist, I was given the opportunity to help create a new public high school on West 83rd Street with local Council member Gale Brewer, a West Side legend.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
  • That includes education — which has risen from 37% in 2019 to 53% now — with a 9-percentage-point spike in the last year.
    — Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of education
Noun
  • The facility uses artificial lighting, intelligent cultivation systems and low-carbon energy to maintain the crops.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
  • China’s cultivation of trade ties with Latin America’s largest economy isn’t new.
    — Michelle Velez, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of cultivation
Noun
  • That fixation on refinement is the show’s subject — and its method.
    — Henry Metz, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Initial concept development took place in 2023, followed by subsystem refinement and evaluation in 2024.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of refinement

Browse Nearby Words

civility
civilization
civilizations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Civilization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilization. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civilization

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civilization

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