civilize
verb (used with object)
to bring out of a savage, uneducated, or rude state; make civil; elevate in social and private life; enlighten; refine.
were civilizing
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past progressiveof civilize.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
“They believed that their society was making progress, that it was gaining greater control over nature, that they were becoming more civilized and were civilizing the environment around them,” Golinski said.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 26, 2023
