Definition

1. Noun:
   • Deliberate discourtesy: The quality or state of being uncivil; rude or impolite behavior or speech that is often intentional.
   • A rude or discourteous act: A specific instance of impolite behavior.

Usage

• "Incivility" is an uncountable noun when referring to the general quality of rudeness.
• It is a countable noun when referring to specific rude acts or remarks.
• It describes behavior that violates social norms of politeness and respect, often in public, professional, or online discourse.

Examples

• Uncountable (General Quality):
  • The rising incivility in political debates is concerning.
  • We must address the problem of incivility on social media platforms.
• Countable (Specific Act):
  • His comment was a blatant incivility that offended many.
  • She apologized for her incivilities during the heated meeting.

Advanced Usage

• "A culture of incivility": An environment where rude or disrespectful behavior is common or tolerated.
  • The company struggled with a culture of incivility that lowered morale.
• "To descend into incivility": For a discussion or interaction to become rude and disrespectful.
  • The debate quickly descended into incivility, with personal insults being exchanged.

Variants and Related Words

• Uncivil (adj): Not polite; rude.
  • His uncivil remarks were widely criticized.
• Incivilities (n, plural): Multiple rude acts or instances of bad manners.

Synonyms

• Rudeness: The quality of being offensive or ill-mannered.
• Discourtesy: Lack of courtesy; impoliteness.
• Disrespect: Lack of respect or courtesy.
• Impertinence: Lack of respect; rudeness.

Antonyms

• Civility: Formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech.
• Politeness: Behavior that is respectful and considerate of other people.
• Courtesy: The showing of politeness in one's attitude and behavior toward others.

Related Phrases

• "An act of incivility": A specific deed that is rude or discourteous.
  • Refusing to acknowledge someone is a simple act of incivility.
• "To tolerate incivility": To allow rude behavior to continue without objection.
  • A good manager does not tolerate incivility in the workplace.

Noun

1. deliberate discourtesy