civilization

noun

ˌsi-və-lə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce civilization (audio)
Definition of civilizationnext
1
as in lifestyle
the way people live at a particular time and place a documentary on the advanced civilization created by the Mayas over a thousand years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in culture
a high level of taste and enlightenment as a result of extensive intellectual training and exposure to the arts by the 18th century Boston had reached a level of civilization sufficiently advanced to support a circle of portrait painters

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 civilization Engineers across ancient civilizations developed machines, structures, and instruments to move heavy objects, transport water, track the heavens, and build settlements capable of surviving hostile environments. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026 Chalk it up to the leftover hubris of late-20th-century American empire and the grand illusion of a liberated civilization thriving behind an impenetrable fortress. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026 At the final stop, so to speak, before Antarctica, the weather is harshly volatile, and in the wilderness surrounding the few small cities and towns, civilization dwindles almost to nothing. — Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026 Researchers continue to uncover new clues about human diets, spanning from ancient civilizations to the earliest humans. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for civilization
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civilization
  1. lifestyle
  2. culture
  3. society
  4. accomplishment
  5. life
  6. education
  7. cultivation
  8. refinement
Noun
  • Known for unique design flair, such as the Stellar TV's concrete back mounts, Loewe seeks to establish itself in top luxury destinations, building a global lifestyle ecosystem focused on craftsmanship and innovation.
    — John Archer, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That includes a limited-time collection of teen and tween clothes, school supplies and accessories in pastel colors and floral prints from the women's lifestyle brand LoveShack Fancy.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of lifestyle
Noun
  • The exhibition will feature 10 immersive zones, each inviting visitors into the world of Schulz (known as Sparky) and Peanuts, exploring his enduring influence on culture.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The remains are from the Lima culture, according to the excavation's leader Gladys Paz.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of culture
Noun
  • British universities have been working to hire more academics from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds so that their faculties better reflect the broader society.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Women heavily lead or outnumber men in high-engagement categories like true crime, relationships, self-improvement, and society-and-culture.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of society
Noun
  • Those accomplishments, though, weren’t fresh in mind when Devers stepped into the batter’s box for the first time Friday.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Anderson said Rasmussen eventually received the respect such an accomplishment deserved.
    — Nicole Kraft, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of accomplishment
Noun
  • Derrick Moore not only saved Summer’s life, McCallum said, but his own, too.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • This rainfall may produce life threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in steep terrain and over areas that were affected recently by Hurricane Lala.
    — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of life
Noun
  • The federal law generally prohibits schools that receive federal education funding from disclosing personally identifiable information from a student's education records without a parent's or guardian's consent, except in limited circumstances.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Democrats say the flip indicates voters want education to move on from political fights over social issues, while conservatives point to their wins.
    — Lauren Lumpkin, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of education
Noun
  • Of the 13,661 rupees the average rural agricultural household earned per month, according to a 2021–22 NABARD survey, only one-third came from cultivation.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026
  • On June 9, 2022 Thailand officially decriminalized marijuana cultivation and possession and the government plans to give away 1 million cannabis plants for fee to people throughout the country.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of cultivation
Noun
  • Made up of nearly 20 clinicians and EHR superusers, the CoLab brings end user feedback into the evaluation, testing, and refinement of new AI capabilities.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • For creators who want additional control, Hi3D also provides tools for manual color adjustment, painting refinement, and detailed optimization through its Studio environment.
    — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of refinement

Browse Nearby Words

civility
civilization
civilizations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Civilization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civilization. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on civilization

Nglish: Translation of civilization for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civilization

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of prowess

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All