verb · formal
civilize
/ˈsɪvɪlaɪz/CIV·i·lize
to bring a society or group to a more advanced or socially acceptable state
Examples
“Missionaries once tried to civilize indigenous populations, often with damaging results.”
“Education programs aim to civilize behaviors by teaching social norms.”
“The term can be controversial because it implies one group is superior.”
Band 8 sentence
“Debates about whether development equates to 'civilizing' often ignore local values and agency.”
Collocations
- civilize a society
- civilize behavior
Word family
Common mistakes
civilize = make western→civilize = make more socially advanced (not necessarily 'westernize')
use 'civilize' casually for polite behaviour→use 'civilized' for behaviour and 'civilize' for broader social change
Say it for a higher band
5improve→6modernize→7+civilize
Synonyms
modernize
Easily confused
modernize
“The government plans to modernize the transport network this decade.”
westernize
“Some cultures resist attempts to westernize their traditions.”
Related words
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In -ize
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