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

• appositely
• appropriately
• congruously
• correctly
• duly
• fittingly
• happily
• meetly
• right
• rightly
• suitably

Examples of properly in a Sentence

the scouts were properly dressed for a week of camping

Recent Examples on the Web

One is simply that, while the probability of properly reprogramming at least one of the sites is high, reprogramming all seven is considerably more challenging. —ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025

According to the lawsuit, the baby did not properly descend during labor—likely due to shoulder dystocia, a complication that occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. —Melissa Noel, Essence, 23 June 2025

Spend the extra time in creating a campaign properly or work with someone who understands Meta advertising. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

Dirty hearing aids won’t work well (if at all), as even a speck of earwax can clog the delicate electronics, preventing them from relaying sound properly. —Christopher Null, Wired News, 22 June 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