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

• correctly
• appropriately

Examples of properly in a Sentence

the scouts were properly dressed for a week of camping

Recent Examples on the Web

Face washing allows for thorough cleansing if done properly, which allows the skin to better absorb moisturizers or treatments that may be applied afterwards. —Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2025

This ensures both assistive technologies and AI engines can interpret your content’s structure properly. —Ran Ronen, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

The last two episodes are also shot largely in the daytime, which means everything is fully visible and properly lit, always a nice treat in a visual medium. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025

One had to spend time observing the rhythm of a kitchen to expo properly, and Nakia had fallen out of the practice of observing hers. —Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025

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