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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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of propriety Throughout the crisis, her burgeoning friendship with the hostage’s wife, challenges Barb’s usual sense of propriety and self-containment. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025 This is a regimented world driven by ritual and propriety and a fear of seeming out of step. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025 Law enforcement recovered multiple digital devices belonging to Gong, some of which contained the company's propriety files. Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2025 The curtains are drawn, the wine is chilled…Wear something reckless, as though mocking propriety. Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for propriety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propriety
Noun
  • Harmlessly wandering about the village, belly and breasts exposed—at times completely naked—Pagli discomforts established codes of etiquette.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Ahead of her concerts in New York City, Sabrina Carpenter is encouraging subway riders to please, please, please practice good etiquette on the trains.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • His second arrest came in the wake of the El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office completing their autopsy of Suzanne, whose manner of death was determined to be homicide.
    Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • With Cutting's cause and manner of death ruled undetermined in his autopsy, and negative toxicology results, Ryan believes geolocation data and other digital clues could shed more light on his final hours.
    Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
  • In the previous case, the board did not require the property owner to pursue the certificate of appropriateness because the application included rebuild plans.
    Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Usually, nothing happens, because that’s the beauty of us everywhere, there’s the same story, just the decorum changes and the dynamic changes.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Others just get giddy having a green light to upend society’s rules of decorum, even for a short window of time.
    John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The new visa aims to loosen restrictions and enhance China’s global appeal, promising more generous terms such as longer validity periods and multiple entries.
    Peter Guo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Hoskins last week attempted to cast doubt on the validity of roughly 100,00 signatures gathered by the campaign.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Cast adrift in a frosty wilderness—a harrowing yet welcome departure, visually, from the Gothic shadows of Victor’s lair—the Creature experiences a dollop of decency, courtesy of a blind old farmer (a wonderful David Bradley), but also a deluge of misery, courtesy of everyone else.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Now is the time to show up, stand up, speak up for human decency.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing, including a tax advisor and/or attorney.
    Steve Hruby, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Federal courts of appeals have divided over the question of scope of applicability.
    Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But the director manages to spin a clever modern-day morality tale mixing art, social class and big bucks.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Your arrest record, your credit score, your driving history, your rental history — are all just measurements of morality that people use to establish a trust matrix about you.
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Propriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propriety. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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