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

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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 If the Fermi Explorer mission can knock down a couple of the filters that might explain the Fermi paradox, that only leaves a few options for why our galaxy appears not to be littered with alien civilizations. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 The probe also carried a plaque, designed by Carl Sagan, Frank Drake and Linda Salzman Sagan, designed to help a potential alien civilization learn about humanity and Earth's location, a sort of precursor to the golden record on the Voyager probes. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The lower part, with its four legs on the ground, stands for the fall of a lost civilization. — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The game combines a cozy gameplay style where players rebuild civilization with the personalities of a slew of pocket monsters. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 26 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
  • Tom Brady’s 23-season NFL career includes seven Super Bowl titles, three MVP awards, numerous endorsements with lifestyle brands like Ugg, and the distinction as the greatest player ever.
    — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Beaded beauties Shells and semiprecious stones find life as statement necklaces and bangles at Hues of Hills, available at lifestyle boutique Vayu - Design for Living in New Delhi.
    — Sohini Dey, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of lifestyle
Noun
  • Former senior vice president of people and culture Erin Dangerfield, now Golden State’s chief people officer, allegedly questioned Vasquez about her responses in the survey.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Spotify acquired The Ringer — a sports and pop culture website and podcast network — in 2020 for more than $200 million, according to reports.
    — Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of culture
Noun
  • Industry insiders and progressive advocates alike are beginning to acknowledge the reality that the clean energy evolution that offers the most hope for addressing climate change is one that requires society to use every available solution.
    — M Douglas Dagan, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In a dystopian world of desperation and war, small glimmers of hope keep society from crumbling completely.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of society
Noun
  • It’s often said that great athletes struggle to talk about their sport and their accomplishments.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • McGuiness’ in-ring appearances have been few and far between but getting back in shape to make it through to the end is an accomplishment in and of itself.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of accomplishment
Noun
  • For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Your stories are a great reminder of what sports teaches high school students about life.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of life
Noun
  • There will always be a big difference between training and education.
    — Raghu Krishnaiah, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Party leaders laid out proposals for relieving poverty, improving social security, and reforming the education system and admitted members from backgrounds unusual for the CHP, including a Kurdish activist and a union leader.
    — Nick TaborAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of education
Noun
  • The orbital system combines cell and tissue cultivation, fluid and media management, environmental control, processing, separation, harvesting, and quality monitoring in a closed-loop system.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This airborne cyborg—manufactured by XAG, an agricultural-technology company that also makes autonomous vehicles, sensor systems, and other smart-farming tools—is simultaneously an agent of cultivation and destruction.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of cultivation
Noun
  • As mills experiment with luxury materials and new technologies, denim is being reimagined with a greater emphasis on tactility, refinement and elevated performance—while still preserving its core identity.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • This means moving beyond passive consumption and toward a rigorous, iterative process of trial, error, and refinement.
    — Jason Corso, Time, 26 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on civilization

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civilization

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