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
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
The reasons for the Labour Party leader’s deepening plight are moral, because decency and shame still matter in British politics.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
At least King Midas had the decency to regret his curse.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 5, Futurism, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
The reasons for the Labour Party leader’s deepening plight are moral, because decency and shame still matter in British politics.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
At least King Midas had the decency to regret his curse.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 5, Futurism, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decency
Noun
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March 2026 Prose's debut novel is centered around Molly Gray, a 25-year-old maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel, who has an obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Lisa buys out the bar and endorses some questionable NBA etiquette.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
-
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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There is nuance in weighing the virtues of an ends-justify-the-means approach.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
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By contrast, German football’s virtues are its proud regional traditions, its fan culture, and the vibrancy of its atmosphere, none of which are quite as simple to export.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 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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Eric Church built his career on raw honesty in his music.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
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What emerges is not just a portrait of a crisis, but also of quiet hope found in connection, in honesty, and in the courage to keep calling.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decency. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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