as in barbarian
not civilized
unfairly branded as uncivilized by European explorers, they had created a culture that was actually quite advanced
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Recent Examples of uncivilized
Sure, the song (apparently written about writer Quentin Crisp) is just about the alienating sense of being an outsider, of having people judge you for your accent or aspiring to civility in an uncivilized land.
—
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2022
Whereas Saidian Orientalism understood the Eastern Other as fundamentally backward and uncivilized, however, techno-Orientalism presents an upgraded vision of the Asian as threateningly futuristic and advanced.
—Jane Hu, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2022
The Qing emperors themselves were not Han either, but Manchu, a people from the other side of the Great Wall who had traditionally been regarded as uncivilized nomads.
—Ian Buruma, Harper’s Magazine , 18 Jan. 2022
There is only one religion in uncivilized society, and that is Kendall Roy.
—Natalie Lin, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for uncivilized
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2022
Whereas Saidian Orientalism understood the Eastern Other as fundamentally backward and uncivilized, however, techno-Orientalism presents an upgraded vision of the Asian as threateningly futuristic and advanced.
—Jane Hu, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2022
The Qing emperors themselves were not Han either, but Manchu, a people from the other side of the Great Wall who had traditionally been regarded as uncivilized nomads.
—Ian Buruma, Harper’s Magazine , 18 Jan. 2022
There is only one religion in uncivilized society, and that is Kendall Roy.
—Natalie Lin, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for uncivilized
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncivilized
Adjective
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In contrast, East Asia witnessed a 300-year period of peace between the 1590s and 1894, broken only by defensive engagements against barbarian incursions and five fairly small two-state wars.—
Michael Mann,
Foreign Affairs,
13 Feb. 2012
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Based on the best-selling comic book series, the fantasy follows barbarian huntress Red Sonja, who must unite a group of unlikely warriors to face off against the evil tyrant Emperor Draygan and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Hintz, meanwhile, got a rude welcome back early in Game 4 when Evan Bouchard slashed him right in the same area that Darnell Nurse injured him in Game 2.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
27 May 2025
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And in the case of fully autonomous EVs, it might be considered rude to expect human passengers to get out and cable a robotaxi to a supercharger for a quick top up on the way to the airport.—
Paul Ridden
May 23,
New Atlas,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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This was still wild country, and Fuller set off with the express purpose of producing a book about her journey.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
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About 90% of wild flowering plants and 75% of food crops around the world depend on pollination to produce fruits and seeds, according to the National Park Service.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.—
Joseph J. Kolb,
Fox News,
18 July 2017
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Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
12 July 2017
Adjective
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Wednesday night’s barbarous shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees — gunned down, shot in the back allegedly by a pro-Palestinian activist while leaving a peace event at the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. — is more than a mere workaday atrocity.—
Jeffrey Blehar,
National Review,
23 May 2025
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The barbarous relic has glittered amidst the financial carnage.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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The October 7th barbaric attack created a compelling imperative for Israel to ensure Hamas could never again reign over Gaza or threaten Israel from there.—
Ehud Barak,
Time,
2 June 2025
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Now, a local judge is Massachusetts is trying to force the United States to bring back these uniquely barbaric monsters who present a clear and present threat to the safety of the American people.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncivilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncivilized. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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