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 Teotihuacán pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, form a complex of monumental structures built by successive Indigenous civilizations.
—
Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilizations.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Katzin, who studies maritime civilizations, suspected the group were antiquities thieves.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Great civilizations outlast even the most vicious occupiers.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2026
Each of the 8 years in this Venus-cycle (known and important to ancient civilizations such as the Mayans and Babylonians) has its own particular pattern, so 2026 repeats (within about 2 or 3 days of the same date) the phenomena of 2018.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Madden expected that, like young children that struggle to understand randomness, the earliest civilizations would have viewed every event as following from some predictable force.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 2 Apr. 2026
Many of these have been well documented by historians, and later civilizations have been able to track their rise and fall.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
There was a pervasive sense of cultural apathy regarding the study of the past that was growing stronger by the minute, as if the world had already accrued the maximum knowledge of prior civilizations and required nothing further in order to barrel onward into the future.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilizations.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Katzin, who studies maritime civilizations, suspected the group were antiquities thieves.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Great civilizations outlast even the most vicious occupiers.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2026
Each of the 8 years in this Venus-cycle (known and important to ancient civilizations such as the Mayans and Babylonians) has its own particular pattern, so 2026 repeats (within about 2 or 3 days of the same date) the phenomena of 2018.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Madden expected that, like young children that struggle to understand randomness, the earliest civilizations would have viewed every event as following from some predictable force.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 2 Apr. 2026
Many of these have been well documented by historians, and later civilizations have been able to track their rise and fall.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
There was a pervasive sense of cultural apathy regarding the study of the past that was growing stronger by the minute, as if the world had already accrued the maximum knowledge of prior civilizations and required nothing further in order to barrel onward into the future.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civilizations
Noun
-
The profile of the pedant has changed surprisingly across time periods and cultures, but what’s constant is that nobody wants to be called one.—
The New York Review of Books,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The vibrant Chowrasta Market isn’t far either, hawking favourites from Penang’s diverse cultures, from roti canai to bowls of syrupy chendul.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Early guests included families with adult children, couples, and singles from the Americas and Europe, many of whom had cosmopolitan, global lifestyles and considerable experience at health resorts.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Low-key and laid-back are lifestyles here, though things pick up considerably during the annual car show (March), shrimp festival (April–May), and pétanque championship (November).—
Anne Olivia Bauso,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Funds routed through weakly regulated financial centers, often under nominal compliance regimes, help seed narratives designed to divide Western societies and undermine political cohesion.—
Gaurav Srivastava,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Officials say a goal of the attacks is to undermine support for Ukraine, spread fear and discord in European societies and drain investigative resources.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Civilizations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilizations. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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