couth 1 of 2

adjective

ˈküth How to pronounce couth (audio)
Definition of couthnext
as in civilized
having or showing a taste for the fine arts and gracious living he's remarkably couth for someone who grew up in a small town with limited cultural opportunities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

couth

2 of 2

noun

as in accomplishment
a high level of taste and enlightenment as a result of extensive intellectual training and exposure to the arts their future son-in-law's lack of couth was of some concern to this patrician couple

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 couth
Noun
Even some of Durant’s Warriors’ teammates manifested their artsiness in less-than-couth ways. — Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 11 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couth
  1. civilized
  2. accomplishment
  3. cultured
  4. civilization
  5. manners
  6. culture
  7. refinement
  8. education
Adjective
  • For years, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner has been portrayed as the civilized way to travel to and from San Diego.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The result, at least on opening day, felt considerably more civilized.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of civilized
Noun
  • Budge said some of her proudest accomplishments during her time on the council include Mather Veterans Village, the Sacramento region’s first permanent supportive housing development for homeless and disabled veterans.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Being in the playoffs should feel like an accomplishment, but winning a series would be even more impressive.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of accomplishment
Adjective
  • Too obviously the gift of someone trying to seem casually cultured?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • As the war wound down, Olivier was becoming more obsessed with directing, often counting on Leigh as his cultured, measured adviser.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of cultured
Noun
  • Throwing safety to the winds could be throwing civilization into the trash.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The subject is not a murder trial but the slow-moving murder of our planet and human civilization by us.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of civilization
Noun
  • Swift drops clues in all manners and the Swifties almost always unearth the meaning behind them.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
  • On the one hand, Julian Fellowes’ juicy melodrama enlists one of the finest ensembles imaginable to bring outsized intensity to a drama of manners.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of manners
Noun
  • Follert credits the monthly check-ins and the direct impact employees can have in shaping the company culture for its ranking in the top 10.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Its obvious artificiality and absurdity fit neatly into an online meme culture that often revels in the uncanny.
    — Angela Yang, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of culture
Noun
  • Normalization of the death penalty—the refinement of the technical aspect, the legal aspect, the cultural aspect—has been a centuries-long project both within and outside the government.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra brings a faster chip, redesigned thermal cooling, and better battery life, but these refinements may feel too incremental for existing Tab S11 Ultra owners.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of refinement
Noun
  • Colleges must remember that they have been set up to provide people with an education that stretches their cognitive abilities while preparing them for whatever comes next.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Many investors have competing financial goals, such as saving for retirement, funding a child's college education, paying off student loans or buying a new home.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of education

Browse Nearby Words

cousins
couth
couture
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Cite this Entry

“Couth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couth. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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