civil

adjective

ˈsi-vəl How to pronounce civil (audio)
Definition of civilnext
1
as in national
of or relating to a nation the country was not destroyed by outside enemies but by a series of civil wars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polite
showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners please try to be civil to your ex-husband at the upcoming family wedding

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective civil contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of civil are chivalrous, courteous, gallant, and polite. While all these words mean "observant of the forms required by good breeding," civil often suggests little more than the avoidance of overt rudeness.

owed the questioner a civil reply

In what contexts can chivalrous take the place of civil?

In some situations, the words chivalrous and civil are roughly equivalent. However, chivalrous suggests high-minded and self-sacrificing behavior.

a chivalrous display of duty

When is it sensible to use courteous instead of civil?

The words courteous and civil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, courteous implies more actively considerate or dignified politeness.

clerks who were unfailingly courteous to customers

How do gallant and chivalrous relate to one another, in the sense of civil?

Both gallant and chivalrous imply courteous attentiveness especially to women. Gallant suggests spirited and dashing behavior and ornate expressions of courtesy.

a gallant suitor of the old school

When can polite be used instead of civil?

The words polite and civil can be used in similar contexts, but polite commonly implies polish of speech and manners and sometimes suggests an absence of cordiality.

if you can't be pleasant, at least be polite

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of civil On top of that, the company is facing criminal and civil Department of Justice investigations into its Medicare billing practices. —Bertha Coombs, CNBC, 28 July 2025 The Combs allegations — involving two ex-girlfriends, graphic testimony and a flood of civil suits — made for ideal on-ramps. —Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2025 The couple first wed in a civil ceremony on April 18, 1956, before celebrating their union in a separate religious ceremony the next day, per the Napoleonic Code and Roman Catholic Church rules. —Michelle Lee, People.com, 15 July 2025 The civil penalties can consume the entire balance of an account, so be careful. —Robert W. Wood, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for civil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil
  1. national
  2. polite
  3. gracious
Adjective
  • Authentic national cuisine also awaits the group in Nepal and Bhutan.
    — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2025
  • But even though Democrats enjoy their newfound dominance locally, a larger national question is still unanswered: How will the Democratic Party define itself under the second Trump administration?
    — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Definition of national
Adjective
  • Just be polite and point out the issue at checkout.
    — Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 July 2025
  • From a software engineering perspective, being polite is a waste of resources.
    — Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of polite
Adjective
  • The man was gifted, gracious, often generous and seldom mean-spirited.
    — Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2025
  • But goodness gracious, the Rockies are only (14-36) under Schaeffer after going 7-33 under Black.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Definition of gracious

Phrases Containing civil

Browse Nearby Words

civic
civil
civil court
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Civil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on civil

Nglish: Translation of civil for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
iykyk if you know you know slang written in a neon
Quiz: Abbreviation Station TFW you have to figure out what 15 abbreviations ...
See All