1
as in etiquette
socially acceptable behavior
some people miss the straitlaced propriety that was largely abandoned in the 1960s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in manner
proprieties plural
personal conduct or behavior as evaluated by an accepted standard of appropriateness for a social or professional setting
an etiquette columnist who insists that traditional proprieties are necessary in order to maintain a civil society
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in appropriateness
the quality or state of being especially suitable or fitting
I'm not sure about the propriety of serving champagne in these glasses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of propriety
Ginny, their passive-aggressive control freak of a mother, will not admit into her home any problems, doubts or identities that violate her sense of upbeat Christian propriety.
—
Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
This version of Evangelina—the one that’s the picture of propriety —is the one that has endured until now.
—Laura Gómez, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2025
Ibsen was exploding bourgeois hypocrisy by cramming his plot with taboos, then asserting that the greatest sin was the propriety that kept people from speaking frankly and living freely.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
Marshall kept pressing the point beyond the bounds of propriety.
—Tevi Troy, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
This version of Evangelina—the one that’s the picture of propriety —is the one that has endured until now.
—Laura Gómez, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2025
Ibsen was exploding bourgeois hypocrisy by cramming his plot with taboos, then asserting that the greatest sin was the propriety that kept people from speaking frankly and living freely.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
Marshall kept pressing the point beyond the bounds of propriety.
—Tevi Troy, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propriety
Noun
-
Understanding communication styles, business etiquette and decision-making processes in various regions enhances collaboration.—
Shirin Ali,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
Figuring out how to show up well in in-person meetings, especially as a new hire and even more so as a junior employee, can be tough, says Daniel Post Senning, etiquette expert with the Emily Post Institute.—
Jennifer Liu,
CNBC,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
In the middle of a seven-minute piece interpreted in an appropriately serious manner, Urie elicited unexpected giggles from the audience.—
Daniel Vaillancourt,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
-
Some species, such as green June beetles, cause turf damage in a different manner.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
The Gurnee Village Board on Monday adopted guidelines and decorum standards for anyone speaking at public meetings.—
Erin Yarnall,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2025
-
In the days following the joint address, Republicans have slammed Democrats for being disrespectful and breaking decorum — while claiming the party refused to acknowledge Trump’s accomplishments since returning to office.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Even at centers where funds appear to have led to considerable research output, internal strife calls into question the validity of their work.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
-
The White House statement also questions the validity of the pardons and commutations issued by Biden—especially his commutation of the sentences of 37 inmates on federal death row—echoing another Trump claim.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Now, more than ever in our history, there will be a burning need for people who fight for truth and decency.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
-
Don’t be afraid to go in your library and read every book, as long as that document does not offend our own ideas of decency.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
21 May 2025
Noun
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To catch up on his late rent, Winston talks himself into a job at We Deliver, a transportation company with a colorful clientele whose requests can’t help but loosen one’s morality.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
With childhood increasingly recognized as a distinct stage of life and education in the later nineteenth century, school texts and children’s books were one way to suggest to children a certain sort of morality and social grounding.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.—
Kelsey Neubauer,
CNBC,
31 May 2025
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That guidance similarly discourages blanket exclusions and encourages individualized assessments that consider the nature of the offense, its recency, and its relevance to the job.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
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But, as stated above with any Kevin Durant possibilities, pick prudence certainly does have to be part of any Heat transaction machinations going forward.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2025
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Nonprofit plans, by contrast, often operate under strict reserve requirements, regulatory constraints and cultural norms that prioritize prudence over growth.—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Propriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propriety. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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