civility
noun
ci·vil·i·ty
sə-ˈvi-lə-tē 
plural civilities
1
a
: civilized conduct
b
: a polite act or expression
lacked the little civilities and hypocrisies of political society—
Roy Jenkins
Roy JenkinsThe men briefly exchanged civilities before the meeting began.
2
archaic
: training in the humanities
Examples of civility in a Sentence
They greeted each other with the usual exchange of civilities.
after the usual civilities, the parents and the principal had a serious talk about the boy
Recent Examples on the Web
Where other versions of the story bear names like Tombstone and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Ford’s emphasizes the character who symbolizes civility and the possibility of a better world to come, even if that world might have no place for men like Earp in it.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025
Morrison is focused on supporting working families, standing up against extremism, and fostering a culture of civility and respect in politics.
—Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
The president’s endorsement could shed light on the size of the anti-Trump wing of the GOP wing in New Jersey, with longtime state senator (and standup comedian) Jon Bramnick, who has called for a return to civility and has sharply criticized Trump in the past, on the ballot.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 June 2025
Salmon sperm facials — which are sometimes called salmon DNA facials for civility’s sake — have become the latest addition to med spa menus across Los Angeles.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for civility
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.
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025
Morrison is focused on supporting working families, standing up against extremism, and fostering a culture of civility and respect in politics.
—Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
The president’s endorsement could shed light on the size of the anti-Trump wing of the GOP wing in New Jersey, with longtime state senator (and standup comedian) Jon Bramnick, who has called for a return to civility and has sharply criticized Trump in the past, on the ballot.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 June 2025
Salmon sperm facials — which are sometimes called salmon DNA facials for civility’s sake — have become the latest addition to med spa menus across Los Angeles.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for civility
Cite this Entry
“Civility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civility. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
civility
noun
ci·vil·i·ty
sə-ˈvil-ət-ē
plural civilities
1
: civilized conduct
especially
: courtesy sense 1, politeness
2
: a polite act or expression
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share