properly

adverb

prop·​er·​ly ˈprä-pər-lē 

: in a proper manner:

a

: in an acceptable or suitable way

behaving properly

trying to get the system to work properly

"Oh yes, I am not at all ashamed of it. I would have everybody marry if they can do it properly."

—Jane Austen

b

: in an accurate or correct way

It might more properly be termed a musical device than a musical form.

—Aaron Copland

Scoop out the seeds (properly called arils, a botanical term that includes the tiny actual seeds and the juicy, edible pulp around them).

—David Karp

Synonyms of properly

• correctly
• appropriately

Examples of properly in a Sentence

the scouts were properly dressed for a week of camping

Recent Examples on the Web

Hall explained that his family had made it onto their new land but still needed a few materials to get things working properly. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2026

Rooms Spacious oases, from rooms to suites, provide travelers plenty of areas to stretch their legs and properly enjoy their accommodations. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026

To properly cite a source, first gather its bibliographic information. — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 6 Nov. 2026

Even hair and makeup had to adapt, since traditional hair spray stops working properly in that cold. — Max Gao, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for properly

• improperly

Kids Definition

properly

adverb

prop·​er·​ly

ˈpräp-ər-lē

1

: in a fit or suitable way

behave properly in church

2

: according to fact : correctly

properly labeled goods

properly speaking, whales are not fish