DE RIGUEUR Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

de rigueur

adjective

də-(ˌ)rē-ˈgər

Definition of de rigueur

as in polite

following the established traditions of refined society and good taste though he was wearing a dinner jacket and a black bow tie, his jeans and tennis shoes were hardly de rigueur

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of de rigueur Some de rigueur pencil skirts and shearlings fashioned as heirloom furs. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 17 May 2026 Then again, based on how things went with the Terry Rozier trade and the flagrant foul on LaMelo Ball that went uncalled in real time in the Heat’s play-in elimination last month in Charlotte, getting stung by the Hornets has almost become de rigueur. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026 Indeed, as travelers today continue to seek out exclusive access—particularly at sporting events such as the Masters, the US Open, and Formula 1—getting up close to the athletes and gear is becoming de rigueur. — Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2026 Its lineup leans toward such flavors as asiago cheese, everything, cheddar jalapeño and apple cinnamon, alongside plain, onion and other de rigueur staples. — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for de rigueur

Recent Examples of Synonyms for de rigueur

Adjective

Madison is very soft-spoken, very pretty, and effortlessly polite, immediately offering to fetch me a hat from her car for the ride.

— Marley Marius, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
Despite being the literal opposite of confrontational, you’re encouraged to push past the polite lack of response someone gives you today.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of polite

Adjective

Americans deserve the facts and can decide for themselves whether this looks like acceptable governance or something closer to self-dealing.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
The film, built around interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli intelligence and military officers and soldiers, alleges the Israel Defense Forces set acceptable numbers of civilian deaths in Gaza in pursuit of Hamas targets.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of acceptable

Adjective

LaFleur winces, until learning the Packers were a respectable 16th in core-four performance (as measured by Expected Points Added) last season.

— Mike Sando, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
After a respectable but not massive viewership for Season 1, the series found itself somewhat on the bubble last year.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of respectable

Adjective

There's also a small flip up carry loop, which is a nice feature for a bottle with a comparably wide diameter.

— Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026
Nor are there many studios with two full baths, a nice perk owed to the combination of two apartments and potentially a key to relationship harmony in the mornings.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of nice

Adjective

But the jet rose above the normal path aircraft take on their approach to Runway 30 before dropping altitude to return back into proper position, tracking data from Flightradar24 showed.

— Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
The 6,970-yard course is challenging but fair and open enough for all handicaps, from the proper tees, to have a good time.

— Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of proper

Adjective

Not ready for prime time The video-generation technology rarely gets the content right on its first try, Sun said, adding that her team takes at least 10 attempts to create a satisfactory 15-second clip.

— Ling Wei, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
The ride quality in my tester was more than satisfactory; a good thing given the infamous Atlanta traffic.

— Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

The signatories argue that a correct answer alone does not capture what makes mathematical research valuable.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2026
For far too many years, the most popular NBA analysts ran off vibes and nostalgia (correct pronunciation of foreign players’ names, not included).

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of correct

Browse Nearby Words

deriding

de rigueur

derision

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“De rigueur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20rigueur. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of de rigueur

adjective

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