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 king acknowledged our recent disagreements but did so with respect and decency.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Though an unabashedly liberal Democrat, Hart commanded respect from lawmakers of both parties for his intellect, decency and grit.
—John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Aimee Lou Wood will host next week, and is no doubt planning to send up the American SNL‘s sketch about her last year, which many thought breached decency standards.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
Honesty, honor, humility, truth, compassion, humanity, thoughtfulness, morality, true strength and decency.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Though an unabashedly liberal Democrat, Hart commanded respect from lawmakers of both parties for his intellect, decency and grit.
—John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Aimee Lou Wood will host next week, and is no doubt planning to send up the American SNL‘s sketch about her last year, which many thought breached decency standards.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
Honesty, honor, humility, truth, compassion, humanity, thoughtfulness, morality, true strength and decency.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decency
Noun
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This is part exploration of possible alien life, part etiquette guide for meeting aliens, part pop culture analysis.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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The son of Italian nobles, Baldassare Castiglione’s main claim to fame was writing a book of etiquette based on his experience as a courtier, a person who serves as an attendant to a king, queen, or other member of a royal family.—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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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
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Foxman thrived for decades in a political culture where the establishment still mattered, and extremism was not considered a virtue.—
Ron Kampeas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
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Sharon had submitted a dozen couplets about the virtues of stay-at-home motherhood, as well as a rhyming list of reasons to believe in God.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
Noun
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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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The responses — spanning practical strategy, personal storytelling and a fair amount of blunt honesty — reveal what casting is really looking for and why standing out starts with authenticity.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
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Despite that questionable track record, Barbie is really good at her job, and her bratty attitude and brazen honesty can be winning, in a mean-girl-in-a-movie kind of way.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decency. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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