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
But the former controller, despite her air of competence and decency, hasn’t been able to attract support above the low single digits.
—
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Or your high school civics teacher, dressed up as a rock god to impart a lesson about basic decency?
—Chris Willman, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
His anomalous body lacked decency.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Their actions are a gut punch to American values and human decency.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Or your high school civics teacher, dressed up as a rock god to impart a lesson about basic decency?
—Chris Willman, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
His anomalous body lacked decency.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Their actions are a gut punch to American values and human decency.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decency
Noun
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Because good ex-etiquette isn’t about pretending the past didn’t happen.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Get the answer to these questions and more plant shopping etiquette from a nursery expert so can shop nurseries with confidence, and save some time and money, too.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Allegations of sovereignty violations, civilian casualties, and lack of due process have prompted debates about the legality and morality of drone warfare under international humanitarian law.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
-
This dark psychological thriller about guilt, obsession, truth and morality arises out of just a single conversation between strangers who happen to sit next to one another.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The food remains rigorously composed but more attuned to our moment, and the servers, a number of whom have worked for Daniel Boulud for decades, prize warmth as much as decorum.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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Graf further noted that safeguards are already in place to protect the integrity of the proceedings, including limits on camera placement, courtroom decorum rules and restrictions on what attorneys can say publicly about the case.—
Adam Sabes , Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Early-warning system As climate change accelerates the retreat of tidewater glaciers and thaws the permafrost holding Arctic mountains together, the structural integrity of these landscapes is failing.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
10 May 2026
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Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Kay also challenged the propriety of statements made by the prosecutor during her closing arguments.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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Larkin found that Muslim viewers in Kano reinterpreted Bollywood films through an Islamic moral lens, reading their narratives as reinforcing local values of propriety and ethical conduct.—
Gareth Barkin,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In that competition, loyalty is an expensive virtue.—
Wael Mahdi,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But patience can sometimes be a death knell in the playoffs, and Game 4 showed how a lack of it can be a virtue.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nowhere is that power more evident than in Florida’s nursing centers, where nurses serve as the backbone of quality, continuity, and dignity in care.—
Dawn Chery-Mangine,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
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Treating customers with dignity and respect is a founding belief at Publix.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
7 May 2026
Noun
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According to the site’s founder, Marile Borden, this branding opportunity reflected a newfound honesty among women about the frazzling demands of motherhood.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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When families begin communicating more openly, younger generations learn that vulnerability and emotional honesty are not things to fear.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decency. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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