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
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—
David Remnick, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Faulkner said the Apartment Association will also help arrange community gatherings with first responders at participating proprieties.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
But Regency England has strict rules for courting couples, and Simon and Daphne are soon skirting the lines of propriety when their feelings become authentic.
—Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propriety
David Remnick, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Faulkner said the Apartment Association will also help arrange community gatherings with first responders at participating proprieties.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
But Regency England has strict rules for courting couples, and Simon and Daphne are soon skirting the lines of propriety when their feelings become authentic.
—Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propriety
Noun
-
Good ex-etiquette doesn’t require emotional intimacy with your ex.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
-
This letter is not only a breach of etiquette, but also a conflict of professional interest.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Two innings later, Team USA got its first two runs in the same manner but offered a contrast in styles.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The office also didn’t deposit checks in a timely manner, the recent audit found.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The update comes as rodeo outfits have drawn attention online, including viral social media videos debating the appropriateness of attire worn by some attendees.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Selecting the right songs for your family's commute involves considering the mood, energy, and appropriateness of the lyrics based on your child's age.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Clothing turned into a placard violated the rule and the decorum of the chamber.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The Chinese researchers remained tactfully silent on the military front — perhaps choosing scientific decorum over a discussion of battlefield utility.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And Google Deepmind’s Aletheia agent seemed to get six (although experts aren’t unanimous on the validity of one of these proofs).—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Some economists have questioned the validity of the JOLTS data, in part due to the survey’s low response rate and sometimes sizable revisions.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Best Actor category, in particular, has honored a wide variety of performance types, from bone-chilling turns like Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) to heroic tributes to human decency like Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Stacy, on the other hand, loves living in the country's biggest city, just not the lack of manners and decency that comes with it.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In taking this event as his starting point, Alper has created a film that is both culturally specific, and has plenty of wider applicability as well.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
-
If multiple hypotheses work to explain the data equally well but one conflicts with reality in some other realm (and the other doesn’t), the one that’s valid across the widest range of applicability is superior.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Those of us who are worried about the morality of our fellow citizens won't restore this nation's better angels by holding on to our cynicism.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Putting aside morality and international law for a second, how much of what is being done by the Israeli government is in line with Israeli domestic law?—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Propriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propriety. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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