We are far more likely to be harmed by our fellow man than by our fellow animals, yet we call animals wild and dangerous and we call man advanced and civilised.
Source: tatoeba (3036306)
Civilised
/ˈsɪv.ɪ.laɪzd/
Synonyms for "civilised" (20 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (4)
Strong matches (6)
Adjective(2 words)
Verb(4 words)
Related words (10)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: advanced, anglicize, civilize, civilized, cultivated.
- Sentence evidence is available for civilised, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, wordnet.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "civilised".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "civilised"
Keep "civilised" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "civilised" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "civilised", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "civilised" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
10 entriesMore specific
13 entriesCollocations
11 entriescivilise behaviourcivilise institutionscivilise normscivilise public moralscivilise societycivilised behaviourcivilised discoursecivilised societycivilised standardscivilised valuescivilised world
Inflections
6 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
5 entriesSample sentences
6 total sentences available.
What!? How could such a civilised man say such a thing! My monocle has fallen from its rightful perch! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!
Source: tatoeba (3047737)
These stories are as old as anything that men have invented. They were narrated by naked savage women to naked savage children. They have been inherited by our earliest civilised ancestors, who really believed that beasts and trees and stones can talk if they choose, and behave kindly or unkindly. The stories are full of the oldest ideas of ages when science did not exist, and magic took the place of science.
Source: tatoeba (4597396)
I shall never forget the intense power of stillness she possessed, which nevertheless conveyed the impression of a wild untamed spirit in an exquisitely civilised body.
Source: tatoeba (8825691)
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "civilised"?
Closest matches include advanced, anglicize, civilize, civilized, cultivated.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "civilised"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.