so·ci·e·ty
sə-ˈsī-ə-tē 
plural societies
1
: companionship or association with one's fellows : friendly or intimate intercourse : company
2
: a voluntary association of individuals for common ends
especially
: an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession
3
a
: an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another
b
: a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
4
a
: a part of a community that is a unit distinguishable by particular aims or standards of living or conduct : a social circle or a group of social circles having a clearly marked identity
literary society
b
: a part of the community that sets itself apart as a leisure class and that regards itself as the arbiter of fashion and manners
5
a
: a natural group of plants usually of a single species or habit within an association
b
: the progeny of a pair of insects when constituting a social unit (such as a hive of bees)
broadly
: an interdependent system of organisms or biological units
: of, relating to, or typical of fashionable society
Synonyms
Examples of society in a Sentence
Noun
Poverty hurts society as a whole.
We need to do more to help the poorer members of our society.
the values of Western society
She was introduced to society at a formal reception.
The club's members are drawn from the ranks of high society.
Recent Examples on the Web
April Wallace, arkansasonline.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Four years later, when Trump was running against another white man, majorities of Republicans agreed that both society has become too soft and feminine and that society punishes men just for acting like men, tapping into a particular brand of male/masculine grievance.
—Kelly Dittmar, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
In the 1980s, as Reagan reigned and the liberation movements of the previous two decades waned, respectable society lost its collective mind.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
In late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century science fiction, or proto-science fiction as some scholars call it, the insect featured in narratives of utopia, society, and disgust.
—Salama Udaipurwala, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for society 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Noun
As a leading technological university, Georgia Tech is an engine of economic development for Georgia, the Southeast, and the nation, conducting more than $1 billion in research annually for government, industry, and society.
—April Wallace, arkansasonline.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Four years later, when Trump was running against another white man, majorities of Republicans agreed that both society has become too soft and feminine and that society punishes men just for acting like men, tapping into a particular brand of male/masculine grievance.
—Kelly Dittmar, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
In the 1980s, as Reagan reigned and the liberation movements of the previous two decades waned, respectable society lost its collective mind.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
In late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century science fiction, or proto-science fiction as some scholars call it, the insect featured in narratives of utopia, society, and disgust.
—Salama Udaipurwala, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for society
Articles Related to society
Dictionary Entries Near society
Cite this Entry
“Society.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/society. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
society
noun
so·ci·e·ty
sə-ˈsī-ə-tē
plural societies
1
: the benefits of love, care, affection, and companionship that family members receive from each other
sought damages for loss of society from his wife's wrongful death
compare consortium
2
: a voluntary association of individuals dedicated to common ends
a conservation society
3
: a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share