civilized

adjective

civ·​i·​lized ˈsi-və-ˌlīzd How to pronounce civilized (audio)
: characteristic of a state of civilization
civilized society
especially : characterized by taste, refinement, or restraint

Examples of civilized in a Sentence

A civilized society must respond to crime with fairness and justice. Stop yelling. We have to be more civilized about this. Try to act like a civilized human being! a civilized way to spend the evening
Recent Examples on the Web There, Sofia is subjected to relentless amounts of torture, which makes the violence so far on The Penguin seem relatively civilized in comparison. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2024 When And Where On Monday To See It At Its Best See The Comet And A Supermoon-Saturn Eclipse: The Night Sky This Week The top half of the draw was much more civilized with no real upsets to the 16’s. Todd Boss, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 With themes of slavery, bloody vengeance and the greed of the civilized, Larison’s own storytelling likewise draws on ancestral predecessors, including tribal origin stories and religious texts. Alan Scherstuhl, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024 The true indicator of Chef Jonathan Benno’s culinary superiority is the approachable refinement and very civilized menu he’s created. John Mariani, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for civilized 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'civilized.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civilized was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near civilized

Cite this Entry

“Civilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civilized. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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