decency
noun
de·cen·cy
ˈdē-sᵊn-sē 
plural decencies
1
2
: standard of propriety
—usually used in plural
3
decencies plural
: conditions or services considered essential for a proper standard of living
4
: literary decorum
5
Examples of decency in a Sentence
Decency, not fear of punishment, caused them to do the right thing.
Sending aid to the victims was simply a matter of common decency.
If you're going to be late, please have the decency to call and let me know.
Have you no sense of decency?
He had been taught to observe the ordinary decencies.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Coaches at lower levels often accuse coaches at bigger programs of crossing those boundaries of decency.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Readers of the novel will recognize this as the character of Tova — the widow whose quiet grief and stubborn decency anchor the story.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
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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
Coaches at lower levels often accuse coaches at bigger programs of crossing those boundaries of decency.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Readers of the novel will recognize this as the character of Tova — the widow whose quiet grief and stubborn decency anchor the story.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Cite this Entry
“Decency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decency. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decency
noun
de·cen·cy
ˈdēs-ᵊn-sē
plural decencies
1
a
: the quality or state of being decent : propriety
b
: agreement with standards of taste, quality, or proper behavior
decency, not fear of punishment, made them behave
2
: a standard of proper behavior
—usually used in plural
had been taught to observe the ordinary decencies
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