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

Crowley’s lawsuit claims Bass and city leaders’ decisions worsened the LAFD’s response to the fire, saying the city historically failed to properly fund the LAFD, leaving the agency under-manned and backlogged in the maintenance of vehicles and other equipment. —City News Service, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026

When a brand invests in understanding the region properly, the commercial results tend to follow. —Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026

Thankfully, they can be cleaned and preserved for a future project—but only if they're stored properly and with some care and consideration in mind. —Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 25 Feb. 2026

The tags will identify the issue and provide information on how to properly recycle the item moving forward. —Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 25 Feb. 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