civilized
adjective
civ·i·lized
ˈsi-və-ˌlīzd 
: 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
Going back to child labor policies reminiscent of the Gilded Age is not an answer in a civilized society to address worker shortages and disrupted supply chains.
—
Thomas Kennedy, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2025
And Smith wants to use it as a stage for something sprawling and meaningful — the latest pronouncement on how savage the supposedly civilized become when the chips are down.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
He was genuinely offended that someone would dare call his civilized kitties feral.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
People, many of whom had never ventured beyond the civilized comforts of the east, found themselves in a wild frontier fraught with dangers unimaginable by today’s standards.
—Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civilized
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Thomas Kennedy, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2025
And Smith wants to use it as a stage for something sprawling and meaningful — the latest pronouncement on how savage the supposedly civilized become when the chips are down.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
He was genuinely offended that someone would dare call his civilized kitties feral.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
People, many of whom had never ventured beyond the civilized comforts of the east, found themselves in a wild frontier fraught with dangers unimaginable by today’s standards.
—Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civilized
Cite this Entry
“Civilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civilized. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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