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Showing results for be civil. Search instead for purely civil.

be civil

VERB
behave
Synonyms
STRONGEST
manage
STRONG
control direct
WEAK
act correctly act one's age act with decorum be good be nice be on best behavior be orderly comport oneself conduct oneself properly demean oneself deport oneself discipline oneself keep one's nose clean keep the peace live up to manage oneself mind one's manners mind one's p's and q's observe golden rule observe the law play fair shape up toe the mark watch one's step
Antonyms
WEAK
act up misbehave

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In some cases, reconciliation might be partial - being able to go to the same family functions and be civil, for example.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

“We would like to be civil servants, soldiers, prosecutors…just like we were in Ottoman times.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

In other words, be civil, inform yourself, vote, help someone, speak up, take action and be your best self.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 10, 2024

Clark is also arguing that the case should be civil because it was initially handled by a special-purpose grand jury.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2023

Duane tried to be civil, but in truth, he felt a little spooked, so he quickened his pace more and more until soon he was running away.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el