1
as in etiquette
socially acceptable behavior
the standards of basic decency demanded that they help the old lady with her groceries
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in morality
conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong
expected all of the scouts in his troop to be models of decency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decency
Does leadership, integrity and decency have no appeal to them?
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
As before, there will be much collateral damage, along with opportunities for courage and decency.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
The Germans ruled here with complete disregard for common decency.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
In a healthier political culture, his temperament and lack of decency would be disqualifying issues.
—Ray Nothstine, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
As before, there will be much collateral damage, along with opportunities for courage and decency.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
The Germans ruled here with complete disregard for common decency.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
In a healthier political culture, his temperament and lack of decency would be disqualifying issues.
—Ray Nothstine, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decency
Noun
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There will be no need to mention hand sanitizer or the etiquette of pods.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
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Yet the stuffiest etiquette experts would surely make an exception for the queen of England.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Better Go Mad in the Wild, Sinéad O’Shea’s capitalism and morality doc All About the Money, and Werner Herzog’s nature film Ghost Elephants.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Agents do not seek truth or morality.—
Victoria Bousis,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Chinese researchers remained tactfully silent on the military front — perhaps choosing scientific decorum over a discussion of battlefield utility.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
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But Americans are so politically divided that the decorum that was once a given during State of the Union addresses has now given way to partisan outbursts and interruptions.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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The bill would require proof of citizenship and voter identification to register to vote, and comes as the president has underscored election integrity.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Mar. 2026
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Ethel moves Carolyn’s bags to another room in keeping with propriety; this is a Catholic family, mind you.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has earned praise from every opposing coach across the league in his first two NHL seasons, and Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff also took a minute Tuesday to extoll the 19-year-old’s virtues.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
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Executives have been preaching the virtues of consolidation, framing it as the only way for legacy media companies to compete with technology companies.—
Lucas Shaw,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His relatives are urging the college's Board of Trustees and administration to rescind the decision and allow McKinley to retire with dignity.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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There were also stories about Reinsdorf not being amused by the wise-cracking or esoteric commentary by Benetti during play-by-play, as if baseball were a deadly serious sport that should be treated with more dignity.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Playing the title role of a linguistics professor who faces changes and prepares her family for what's to come as the disease takes hold, Moore navigates the character arc with honesty and heart-tugging empathy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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Being a good role model shows your child how to behave with kindness, honesty, and respect.—
Barrie Gillies,
Parents,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decency. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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