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Recent Examples of civilize
Practically speaking, if your checklist is mostly phones and a CPAP, a mid-size electric battery station is civilized: quiet, indoor-safe and instantly useful.
—
Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
In this view, other European immigrants were unsuitable for civilizing the frontier—Southern Europeans were effete and decadent while Eastern European Jews were hapless in the woods and better-suited to urban, commercial spaces.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2025
Five decades of broken agreements have shown that side-deals and photo-ops cannot civilize a theocracy.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2025
Colonial empires were founded upon understandings of racial hierarchy and civilizing missions.
—Alexander Cooley, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for civilize
Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
In this view, other European immigrants were unsuitable for civilizing the frontier—Southern Europeans were effete and decadent while Eastern European Jews were hapless in the woods and better-suited to urban, commercial spaces.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2025
Five decades of broken agreements have shown that side-deals and photo-ops cannot civilize a theocracy.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2025
Colonial empires were founded upon understandings of racial hierarchy and civilizing missions.
—Alexander Cooley, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for civilize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civilize
Verb
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The actor, who also produced the film alongside Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush and Anthony Katagas, has cultivated a solid relationship with Chinese moviegoers through previous releases.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
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Why Seedlings Need to Be Hardened Off Indoor seedlings are cultivated in a sheltered environment where they’re protected from harsh winds, bright sunlight, and cool spring breezes.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Farmers in the modern world Farmers’ contribution to the Cold War shored up their cultural and political importance in a rapidly industrializing and urbanizing United States.—
Peter Simons,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
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Farmers in the modern world Farmers’ contribution to the Cold War shored up their cultural and political importance in a rapidly industrializing and urbanizing United States.—
Peter Simons,
Fortune,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Civilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilize. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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