civil rights
plural noun
: rights that citizens are guaranteed by their government through legislation or other government action to ensure equal opportunities (as for employment, education, housing, or voting) and equal protection under the law regardless of personal characteristics such as race, religion, or sex
especially
: the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress
Note: The 13th Amendment (ratified 1865) abolished slavery and the 14th Amendment (ratified 1868) granted citizenship and equal rights to all people born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people and African Americans generally. The 15th Amendment (ratified 1870) guaranteed the right to vote regardless of color or former enslavement.
compare civil liberty see also civil rights movementExamples of civil rights in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Hazel Johnson ordinance grew out of a 2020 federal civil rights complaint filed by the Southeast Environmental Task Force and other groups challenging the city’s concentration of polluting industries in certain neighborhoods.
—
Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
School administrators and civil rights advocates have been pushing back, saying these mandates violate students' rights.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 26 May 2025
Trump has already moved to strip Harvard University of its exemption from federal taxes based on claims that the university violates current civil rights laws.
—David M. Simon, National Review, 26 May 2025
He was known for his outspoken manner, legislative influence, and leadership in civil rights and economic policy.
—Jesus Mesa
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil rights
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Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
School administrators and civil rights advocates have been pushing back, saying these mandates violate students' rights.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 26 May 2025
Trump has already moved to strip Harvard University of its exemption from federal taxes based on claims that the university violates current civil rights laws.
—David M. Simon, National Review, 26 May 2025
He was known for his outspoken manner, legislative influence, and leadership in civil rights and economic policy.
—Jesus Mesa
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil rights
Cite this Entry
“Civil rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20rights. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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