societal

adjective

so·​ci·​e·​tal sə-ˈsī-ə-tᵊl How to pronounce societal (audio)
: of or relating to society : social
societal forces
societally adverb

Examples of societal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Rasmussen had visited Bowling Green to check out the work of Jigsaw, a think tank inside Google that tackles big societal challenges like online extremism. Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025 But societal standards change, and by the time that the games were revived in 1896, its runners came robed in shorts and T-shirts made from cotton or wool. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2025 Yet the work to distance oneself from our societal struggle, to show success, still indicates struggle. Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2025 Throughout the last century, philanthropic giving from some of the wealthiest individuals in history has fueled technological and societal transformation. Charles Oppenheimer, Time, 17 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for societal

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of societal was in 1890

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Societal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/societal. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on societal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!