DECENCY Synonyms: 87 Similar and Opposite Words

decency

noun

ˈdē-sᵊn-sē

Definition of decency

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

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 decency However, a modicum of decency four years ago would’ve gone further. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 And the solution is simply to replace the corrupt, racist authoritarian with a governing party that respects the rule of law, equality, and basic decency. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 But this is a company that has placed profits ahead of that trust and ahead of public decency. — Tyrone E. Keys Jr, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026 And although Americans are attending church less frequently, there’s still a high degree of concern over morality and decency in the country – two qualities many people associate with organized religion. — Sophie Hills, Christian Science Monitor, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for decency

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decency

Noun

The rapper’s all-black outfit was allowed, but his shades violated court etiquette.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
In other words, cruise etiquette isn’t about memorizing a list of dos and don’ts.

— Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of etiquette

Noun

The McLuhanite in me wants to stick to the first interpretation, in which the apparent shift in shame is a matter of morality getting funnelled through a new medium.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
Swift was born into the Anglo-Irish Protestant elite, and the text satires both the callousness of his class and a then-ascendant approach to morality and politics that held that all aspects of life could be cooked down to a pure numerical value.

— Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of morality

Noun

The Los Angeles Community College District abruptly canceled bidding for a major student housing project after a losing bidder challenged the integrity of the process.

— Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
The court is confident in the soundness of the proceedings and the integrity of the judges.

— Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of integrity

Noun

That sense of propriety was partly imposed upon him by his father, who, in covering up John’s misdeed, placed an albatross around his son’s neck, demanding his conformity to a narrow sort of principle.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Within these confines the main characters register as aliens; Wendy and Jack aren’t just flustered but people who seem to have never been inculcated with a rudimentary sense of social propriety.

— Vadim Rizov, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of propriety

Noun

When late summer rolls around, Taylor Fritz joins a chorus of Americans in extoling the virtues of hard courts and talking about how the North American swing is his favorite time of year.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Though eventually abandoned due to cost, this system of surveillance endeavored to equate producers with virtue.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of virtue

Noun

She was invested in young women and keeping the door open for the next generation of leaders, and her advocacy was always about fighting for the strength, intelligence, and dignity of women everywhere.

— Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
But, as mad as the idea may have seemed back then, the tradition is still going strong 40 years later with participants coming from around the world to cast their dignity aside — along with a warm robe — and take the plunge into the freezing water.

— Rob Tanner, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of dignity

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decelerations

decency

decent

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Style

“Decency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decency. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of decency

noun

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