as in cultured
having or showing a taste for the fine arts and gracious living
a civilized older couple who are celebrated for holding dinner parties that are attended by the city's best and brightest
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Recent Examples of civilized
David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
In an era when roads were still rough and driving was still novel, electric automobiles seemed civilized.
—Bill Gourgey, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2026
But thousands of others travel to the civilized confines of Pasadena, California, to volunteer for the Rose Parade.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Here was a foolish and incompetent tribune of the nation’s racist vulgarians, opposed by the prosperous and the well educated, the civilized and the tolerant.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civilized
Adjective
Some more civilized tenants, the sweet but stuffy textile heir Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) and his sister, Isabella (Alison Oliver), move into the estate next door.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
In an era when roads were still rough and driving was still novel, electric automobiles seemed civilized.
—Bill Gourgey, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2026
But thousands of others travel to the civilized confines of Pasadena, California, to volunteer for the Rose Parade.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Here was a foolish and incompetent tribune of the nation’s racist vulgarians, opposed by the prosperous and the well educated, the civilized and the tolerant.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civilized
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civilized
Adjective
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Marty is not cultured, colorful and neurotic with a penchant for Yiddish outbursts.—
David Colman,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Feb. 2026
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Buttermilk Buttermilk may contain probiotics, although this is more commonly found in traditional buttermilk rather than cultured buttermilk, which is more widely available in stores.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The podcast is recorded live every week at the Comedy Mothership on Sixth Street in Austin and has cultivated a dedicated following.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
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Mish has cultivated a significant social media following as a Marlins insider and previously co-wrote a baseball column for the Miami Herald.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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At first glance, the hotel’s facade looks like any other sleek office block on this leafy boulevard in Songshan—polished glass, lots of steel, and unlikely to win any prizes for its exterior looks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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Right now, members can unlock dozens of spring-ready travel deals starting at just $8, with exclusive discounts on everything from luggage upgrades to polished matching sets that make for the perfect airport outfits.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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An accomplished Caltech astrophysicist with more than four decades of research contributions in galactic astronomy and the study of distant planets was fatally shot in a rural area of Antelope Valley on Monday morning.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Mars Salazar is an accomplished music journalist based in Austin, Texas.—
Mars Salazar,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Civilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilized. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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