societal

[suh-sahy-i-tl]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to large social groups, or to their activities, customs, etc.

societal

/ səˈsaɪətəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to society, esp human society or social relations

Other Word Forms

• societally adverb
• antisocietal adjective
• antisocietally adverb
• intersocietal adjective
• nonsocietal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of societal¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; societ(y) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Its managers “look for long-term structural shifts, societal changes, cultural winds of change as our backdrop to surface ideas,” according to U.S. equity fund manager Dave Bujnowski.

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We talk about societal “infrastructure” when bridges fail, but not when families do.

Read more on MarketWatch

The company said its research shows that consumers crave interactions with real people, and they have deep concerns about the growing use of AI and its potential societal changes.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Yet the wobble underneath each “Knives Out” entry is that each is a 21st-century societal critique.

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"It has potential for extraordinary benefits - we will have to work through societal disruptions."

Read more on BBC