civil rights
plural noun
: rights that citizens are guaranteed by their government through legislation or other government action to ensure equal opportunities (as for employment, education, housing, or voting) and equal protection under the law regardless of personal characteristics such as race, religion, or sex
especially
: the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress
Note: The 13th Amendment (ratified 1865) abolished slavery and the 14th Amendment (ratified 1868) granted citizenship and equal rights to all people born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people and African Americans generally. The 15th Amendment (ratified 1870) guaranteed the right to vote regardless of color or former enslavement.
compare civil liberty see also civil rights movementExamples of civil rights in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Education policy would shift decisively into state hands, for better or worse, and the federal government's role might be reduced to writing checks and enforcing fundamental civil rights from afar.
—
Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
In January, Baldwin sued Santa Fe officials for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations for pursuing criminal charges against him in the accidental shooting death.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2025
Some civil rights advocates worry the new court processes will accomplish little except to land more people in jail and conservatorship.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
In addition to the texts provided there, Hakim’s became a civil rights and Black activism gathering place.
—Jameelah Nasheed, Essence, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil rights
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Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
In January, Baldwin sued Santa Fe officials for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations for pursuing criminal charges against him in the accidental shooting death.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2025
Some civil rights advocates worry the new court processes will accomplish little except to land more people in jail and conservatorship.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
In addition to the texts provided there, Hakim’s became a civil rights and Black activism gathering place.
—Jameelah Nasheed, Essence, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil rights
Cite this Entry
“Civil rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20rights. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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