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
Relevance
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
Leung, in a rare foray into European cinema, is a serene elder statesman, tempering his character’s intense drive—his excitement in the face of a potential scientific breakthrough—with a gently imploring decency and restraint.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
With Norman, his compassion, curiosity, kindness and decency of spirit appealed to Hatton.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 May 2026
Advertising codes emphasize honesty, fairness, decency, responsibility, respect, transparency, legality, and minimization of harm.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
The king acknowledged our recent disagreements but did so with respect and decency.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
With Norman, his compassion, curiosity, kindness and decency of spirit appealed to Hatton.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 May 2026
Advertising codes emphasize honesty, fairness, decency, responsibility, respect, transparency, legality, and minimization of harm.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
The king acknowledged our recent disagreements but did so with respect and decency.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decency
Noun
-
Her shelves contained books on correct etiquette when entertaining (How to Do It, or, The Lively Art of Entertaining by Elsa Maxwell) and instructional books covering many areas of life, ranging from gardening and raising Siamese cats to keeping turtles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
Before the group came out, a group of extras mimed drinking tea and feasting on pastries, with pinky fingers aloft — per the song’s innate spoofing of the etiquette stereotypically associated with tea drinking.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Experts in the tech industry, academia and Catholic morality said the document will likely become a benchmark in the debate over AI, a point of reference for policymakers, researchers and ordinary folk alike.—
Nicole Winfield,
Fortune,
25 May 2026
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In his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV put forth a defense of human dignity in the era of AI, delivering a far-ranging treatise on the morality of technology that included a dramatic plea for guardrails to ensure that artificial intelligence eases — rather than exacerbates — inequality and poverty.—
Anthony Faiola,
Washington Post,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Rather than abandoning its roots, the transformation preserved the integrity of the hotel's vision while adding modern touches and amenities to the rooms and suites.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 May 2026
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The look focuses on maintaining hair integrity with intentional lift and seamless toning for a healthy, glossy finish.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Noun
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Labels like Prada, Tom Ford, and Saint Laurent, meanwhile, have pushed the very limits of propriety by showing itsy-bitsy little shorts on their runways, sometimes little more than a wisp of fabric.—
Max Berlinger,
Vogue,
22 May 2026
-
And the small tabletop brought a sense of dignity and propriety to the meal.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
We were constantly informed that our purpose was to become genteel and inculcated in Christian virtue.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
At the end of the eighteenth century, the West’s power brokers, eager to exude stolid republican virtue, abjured decoration and ornament, sparking what the British psychologist John Flügel called the Great Masculine Renunciation.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
The Ahmadiyya Muslim community believes that protecting human life and dignity is a sacred responsibility.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2026
-
As the institutions that hold democracy together are quietly hollowed out and the very definition of democracy is rewritten as being simply majority rule, universal values – human dignity and the rule of law – are replaced with a fierce nationalism, a proud victimhood, and a rewriting of history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Brands should rethink ownership, durability and honesty.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
These challenges require transparency, honesty and strong relationships.—
Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decency. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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