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 of properly

• correctly
• appropriately

Examples of properly in a Sentence

the scouts were properly dressed for a week of camping

Recent Examples on the Web

Its core business is semiconductor test systems, which verify that chips function properly and meet performance and durability standards before they are shipped. —Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026

Leaving such objects on the lawn during the winter has a smothering effect that keeps your lawn from breathing properly and creates conditions favorable to fungi. —David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 28 Jan. 2026

Hall's investigation also concluded that Ploeger and Bridget Kotarak, then the district’s director of student policy and school operations, were in the best positions to have properly investigated the allegations against Gilkey-Meisegeier. —Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026

The connective tissue is attention, if properly allocated. —Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026

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