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

Telling it properly — with its merger, move, expansion, conceptual shifts and a string of geographically confusing names — would take a couple of pints. — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2026

The lawsuits will allege defendants failed to properly test and maintain cooling towers, including at Harlem Hospital. — Katie Houlis, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

The county also did not properly vet the criminal histories of the people who had been in contact with her — including Dhante Jackson — according to the legal filing. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

Sal knows how to properly spark a Zippo, seduce women, shuck oysters, throw a punch, and other Badass Masshole 101 lessons. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 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