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 Founded by the Phoenicians, the city served as a major maritime and commercial hub across successive civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 27 July 2026 In June, a group of anxious European policy researchers issued Europe 2031, a scenario in which civilization between the Urals and the Atlantic ends up at least functionally extinct. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026 The hardware of civilization that made the American dream real, livable, and lasting. — Brendan Bechtel, Fortune, 25 July 2026 If a previous civilization had altered the planet’s chemistry — as humans have done by releasing vast amounts of carbon pollution — there might be a record. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 July 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
  • The president's granddaughter said she's developed many of her own fitness habits by researching what works and adapting it to fit her lifestyle.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
  • That premise is crucial to the business model of SGG Media, an upstart agency which represents an army of social media accounts catering to verticals like athletics and lifestyle.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 21 July 2026
Definition of lifestyle
Noun
  • Creator culture can imitate the feeling of belonging without creating the lasting structure of belonging.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • At Fanatics Fest, Dart said his new coach has had a profound impact on the team’s culture.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of culture
Noun
  • Across society, loneliness and social isolation continue to rise.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Rose is a helper, an idealist desperate for a better world, which for her means decarbonizing the economy by building a better society in the process.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
Definition of society
Noun
  • Their movements are tracked, conversations are restricted, decisions are tightly controlled, and accomplishments are rewarded with superficial incentives.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • But his bogus life story of being a wealthy Wall Street player with a college degree and other accomplishments quickly unraveled.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of accomplishment
Noun
  • After returning home, Cheogyal restarted his life and education in his home county Drago (Luhuo in Chinese), located in the rolling grasslands and mountains of a Tibetan region of Sichuan, on the southeastern corner of the Tibet-Qinghai plateau.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Say the necessary thing, confirm the next step, and make your private life less complicated.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of life
Noun
  • Some factors outside of districts’ control, such as the declining birth rate and competition with the private sector, could be contributing to this trend, according to local and state education leaders.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
  • Villalobos’ career spans thirty years in the school district with a brief interlude in the private sector, working for education technology companies.
    — Austin Horn July 30, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of education
Noun
  • Lastly, the seaweed work appears especially early-stage and would require cultivation, harvesting, and downstream extraction at enormous scale.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
  • The bill proposes a comprehensive federal regulatory framework covering cultivation, processing, testing, and labeling.
    — A.J. Herrington, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of cultivation
Noun
  • Some enthusiasts will always treasure the sound and mechanical involvement of a gasoline engine, while others will welcome the instant, gutsier response and refinement of electric propulsion.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Thompkins can still be a bit light against the run and needs more refinement as a rusher, but his athletic potential could create serious versatility down the line.
    — Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of refinement

Browse Nearby Words

civility
civilization
civilizations
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Cite this Entry

“Civilization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilization. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civilization

Nglish: Translation of civilization for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civilization

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