as in cultures
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
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Recent Examples of civilizations
The Bible’s Old and New Testaments, as well as the Qur’an, reference lunar phases to mark certain months and dates in the year—a practice also used by Ancient Chinese, Mayan, and South Asian civilizations.
—
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Political hubris and mismanagement have reduced one of the oldest water civilizations to a parable of collapse.
—Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
For centuries, civilizations have built upward — and with modern technology, that drive has only intensified.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
In early civilizations, debasement occurred when rulers lowered the amount of precious metal in coins.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Some Sogdians converted to Islam, while others assimilated into Chinese culture or other civilizations.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 17 Sep. 2025
This time around, leaders are separated from their civilizations.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Some civilizations believed this lunar event had apocalyptic significance.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 5 Sep. 2025
The Quimbaya Gold Museum in nearby Armenia offers a fascinating glimpse into Colombia’s pre-Hispanic civilizations.
—Boris Seckovic, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2025
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Political hubris and mismanagement have reduced one of the oldest water civilizations to a parable of collapse.
—Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
For centuries, civilizations have built upward — and with modern technology, that drive has only intensified.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
In early civilizations, debasement occurred when rulers lowered the amount of precious metal in coins.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Some Sogdians converted to Islam, while others assimilated into Chinese culture or other civilizations.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 17 Sep. 2025
This time around, leaders are separated from their civilizations.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Some civilizations believed this lunar event had apocalyptic significance.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 5 Sep. 2025
The Quimbaya Gold Museum in nearby Armenia offers a fascinating glimpse into Colombia’s pre-Hispanic civilizations.
—Boris Seckovic, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civilizations
Noun
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This is part of a special series, Cumbia Across Latin America, a visual report across six countries developed over several years, covering the people, places and cultures that keep this music genre alive.—
Karla Gachet,
NPR,
3 Oct. 2025
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This holiday celebrates the histories, cultures, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and their ancestors who lived in America before European explorers arrived.—
Mariyam Muhammad,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Similar to other seasons, the season 9 trailer shows the couples battling various obstacles, from different lifestyles to trust issues.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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And while what that looks like can vary from person to person, certain countries are better known for their top-notch lifestyles than others.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the mid-twentieth century, Canavan writes, American science fiction often depicted societies ruled by computers as an analog for Soviet communism.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
29 Sep. 2025
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In that vision of a distant, distant future, there is no public sector or state in those societies.—
Nic Juarez,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Civilizations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilizations. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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