so·ci·e·ty
sə-ˈsī-ə-tē 
plural societies
1
: companionship or association with one's fellows : friendly or intimate intercourse : company
2
: a voluntary association of individuals for common ends
especially
: an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession
3
a
: an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another
b
: a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
4
a
: a part of a community that is a unit distinguishable by particular aims or standards of living or conduct : a social circle or a group of social circles having a clearly marked identity
literary society
b
: a part of the community that sets itself apart as a leisure class and that regards itself as the arbiter of fashion and manners
5
a
: a natural group of plants usually of a single species or habit within an association
b
: the progeny of a pair of insects when constituting a social unit (such as a hive of bees)
broadly
: an interdependent system of organisms or biological units
: of, relating to, or typical of fashionable society
Synonyms
Examples of society in a Sentence
Noun
Poverty hurts society as a whole.
We need to do more to help the poorer members of our society.
the values of Western society
She was introduced to society at a formal reception.
The club's members are drawn from the ranks of high society.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
The Madness is ultimately about the chaos of society today, cluttered by a dizzying information age.
—Julian Randall, Essence, 4 Dec. 2024
Our ultimate goal is to produce productive members of society.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
By Yasmeen Serhan December 4, 2024 11:45 AM EST
A new report tracking the health of civic freedoms around the world identifies a notable trend: Crackdowns on Palestinian solidarity protests in every kind of society, from the most open to the least.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for society 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The writers and academics who abandoned Marxism to found the neoconservative movement were deeply concerned with political freedom and the moral decline of American society.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
The Madness is ultimately about the chaos of society today, cluttered by a dizzying information age.
—Julian Randall, Essence, 4 Dec. 2024
Our ultimate goal is to produce productive members of society.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
By Yasmeen Serhan December 4, 2024 11:45 AM EST
A new report tracking the health of civic freedoms around the world identifies a notable trend: Crackdowns on Palestinian solidarity protests in every kind of society, from the most open to the least.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for society
Articles Related to society
Dictionary Entries Near society
Cite this Entry
“Society.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/society. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
society
noun
so·ci·e·ty
sə-ˈsī-ə-tē
plural societies
1
: the benefits of love, care, affection, and companionship that family members receive from each other
sought damages for loss of society from his wife's wrongful death
compare consortium
2
: a voluntary association of individuals dedicated to common ends
a conservation society
3
: a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share