1
as in polite
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
the formal ball called for proper attire—tuxedos and full-length gowns only
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in correct
being in agreement with the truth or a fact or a standard
there is really more than one proper way to pronounce that word in English
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
we had nodded and said hello to one another but had never had a proper introduction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in appropriate
meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation
you'll need to have a proper diet if you want to lose weight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in characteristic
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group
malaria and other diseases that are proper to the tropics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of proper
Contrary to the previous notions about our youth, their inherent power and unidentified skillsets could put them in a position to change their own lives, with the proper guidance.
—
Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
The Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers secured their places in the playoff field proper with wild-card wins at home Wednesday night, setting up matchups against their conferences’ respective top seeds, the Philadelphia Union and San Diego FC.
—Avi Creditor, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Critics, meanwhile, contend the president bypassed the proper review process.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
The disease is often mistaken for other conditions, which can delay proper treatment.
—Holly Burns, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proper
Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
The Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers secured their places in the playoff field proper with wild-card wins at home Wednesday night, setting up matchups against their conferences’ respective top seeds, the Philadelphia Union and San Diego FC.
—Avi Creditor, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Critics, meanwhile, contend the president bypassed the proper review process.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
The disease is often mistaken for other conditions, which can delay proper treatment.
—Holly Burns, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proper
Adjective
-
The listener is no longer an outsider from the polite world of public broadcasting, or podcasting, but a tired factory worker longing for relief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
One that isn’t slurred together from such a familiar combination of backwater lawlessness, faux-polite menace, and profoundly sweaty animal metaphors.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
And the second season is set to be based on the prequel novel, correct?—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Instead of automatically filling the detergent measuring cup to the brim and adding it to your load of laundry, consult our guide to using the correct dose of detergent every time.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
All are dressed in period garb — Clarkson in a gorgeous gown and her band, My Band Y’all, led by musical director and keyboardist Jason Halbert, in formal white dinner jackets typical of musical acts at the time.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
In Scotland, then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued a formal apology in 2022 to the thousands of people – mostly women – who were accused and executed under the country’s Witchcraft Act between the 16th and 18th centuries.—
James Frater,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Spanx Supersmooth Perfect Fit Ponte Micro Flare Pant Speaking of smoothing, these dress pants have compression from waist to knee and a subtle flare leg — like your favorite yoga pants but office appropriate.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
It should be cooked thoroughly and not raw, trimmed of excess fat, cut into bite-sized pieces appropriate for the dog’s size and free from dog toxins such as garlic, onion or excessive salt.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That characteristic ionization marks a full-fledged planetary nebula.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
3 Nov. 2025
-
This gas then erupts from the shell of the comet, casting off solid dust and growing the halo around a comet, the coma, and its characteristic cometary tail.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Overall, the sound quality is comparable to that of a basic Bluetooth speaker—more than satisfactory for an AIO PC.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
15 Oct. 2025
-
According to a poll conducted by the company, eight out of 10 users were happy with the experience, while another one in five described it as satisfactory.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
World’s most advanced quantum clocks Quantum clocks provide very accurate timekeeping.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
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November 04, 2025 When Wikipedia was founded in 2001, the idea that people around the world could come together to create an accurate online encyclopedia covering virtually any topic seemed far-fetched.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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As the conversation turned to Haliburton, Antetokounmpo challenged Turner to say three nice things about his former All-Star point guard.—
Darnell Mayberry,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Even the fact that Refiberd doesn’t need a lot of financing to keep itself afloat because of the nature of its technology is a nice bit of happenstance.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proper. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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