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.
Antisemitism remains a stark indicator of societal decay. Irwin Cotler, TIME, 26 Jan. 2025 So Far The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Many people probably sense that at some point, there may be a societal pushback against AI, especially since many jobs are being replaced, not just in the creative field. Zain Jaffer, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2025 McQueen distills societal attitudes and assumptions into action, in the form of a romantic Dickensian adventure. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2025 This is misinformation generally accepted on truth that affect people on a societal level. Lauren Goode, WIRED, 23 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near societal

Cite this Entry

“Societal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/societal. Accessed 30 Jan. 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!