civil rights

plural noun

: the nonpolitical rights of a citizen
especially : the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress
was charged with violating the victim's civil rights

Examples of civil rights in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Polish civil rights activist Bart Staszewski says the far-right party considers the LGBTQ+ community a threat to society. Rob Schmitz, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 In the first season, Callie clerked for a conservative judge overseeing a police shooting involving the wrongful death of an unarmed Black man, while her roommate Malika (Zuri Adele) worked for a civil rights non-profit that was protesting outside the trial. Megan Vick, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 In pictures: The evolution of the rainbow flag 1 of 24 LGBTQ advocates and civil rights groups have criticized the amendment, calling it an attack on First Amendment rights and harmful to students. Chandelis Duster, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Liberal organizations worry Newsom’s policies, such as CARE Court and expanding conservatorship, could infringe on civil rights, deter people from seeking help for fear of being forced into care and consign people to harsher treatment settings than necessary. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The neighborhood, with a mix of African-American, European and Jewish residents, was home to civil rights leader Malcom X and Academy Award-winning actress Hattie McDaniel. Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 Stand up for the right to vote and our civil rights. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024 Some civil rights advocates, however, believe the restrictions are racially motivated. David Fischer, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Mar. 2024 But last spring, leaders of local civil rights groups accused him of overseeing a City Hall rife with employment discrimination lawsuits and asked for his resignation. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'civil rights.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see civil

First Known Use

circa 1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil rights was circa 1614

Dictionary Entries Near civil rights

Cite this Entry

“Civil rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20rights. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

civil rights

noun plural
: the nonpolitical rights of a citizen
especially : the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress

More from Merriam-Webster on civil rights

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