1
as in polite
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
we were asked to be on our most decorous behavior at the formal event
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
the oppressively decorous standards of a royal court
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decorous
The affair grows less decorous in farcical scenes of upstairs and downstairs life — kitchen staff toiling away on blunts, a trigger-happy shooting party, and cockney pub patrons breaking out in song — and the various side plots.
—
Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2025
The hearings are usually decorous affairs, where anger is routine but controlled.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Still, Julie Rotblatt Amrany got the flying ponytail right and delivered a decorous portrayal that was well received.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
The teenager, who spoke in hushed, decorous bursts, had months earlier shot rats near a friend’s camp in Manchac, dressed the carcasses (an intricate process, given the animal’s size), and frozen their haunches.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decorous
Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2025
The hearings are usually decorous affairs, where anger is routine but controlled.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Still, Julie Rotblatt Amrany got the flying ponytail right and delivered a decorous portrayal that was well received.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
The teenager, who spoke in hushed, decorous bursts, had months earlier shot rats near a friend’s camp in Manchac, dressed the carcasses (an intricate process, given the animal’s size), and frozen their haunches.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decorous
Adjective
-
My son’s friend is an exemplary young man, polite and respectful in all ways except one.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
-
My son’s friend is an exemplary young man — polite and respectful in all ways except one.—
Jacobina Martin,
Washington Post,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Referees rarely do this work, receive no formal training, and know the exercise is as much guesswork as judgment.—
Adam Davis,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
Authorities announced in April that a homicide investigation dating back to 1973 was brought to a formal close, more than a half-century after a woman was found dead in a Northern Virginia state forest.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
After all, the key to a flawless beat is proper skincare application!—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
14 May 2026
-
Sit down at a proper meal table (not your desk or the car), put your snack on a plate or in a bowl, and take a breath to center yourself before taking the first bite.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
It is celebrated with a ceremonious parade that features a cavalcade of men dressed in Roman soldier costumes, evoking a sense of solemn thanksgiving and spiritual devotion.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The ones named Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion by the judges make a ceremonious visit at the end of the day to the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in downtown Denver.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Any respectable Sevillian is an expert in caracoles.—
Miguel Macias,
NPR,
13 May 2026
-
No respectable woman would permit such an abomination.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The comfortable seating area in the living room includes couches and armchairs set in front of the TV and fireplace for relaxing after a day on the slopes, and a dining table provides a nice spot to relax and eat.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
-
Sullivan made a nice play on the ball and then twisted out of a tackle and ran 15 yards to the goal line.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier subpoenaed the NFL on Wednesday after the league failed to provide a satisfactory response to the Republican official’s concerns about diversity hiring practices.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
13 May 2026
-
And the Anza-Borrego Foundation that opposes the power line going through any portion of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park told the Union-Tribune that undergrounding the line within the park is not a satisfactory solution.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Sadly, Luna’s inert fourth feature behind the camera, Ashes (Ceniza en la Boca), is unlikely to course-correct that faltering trajectory.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Wasserman Schultz declined to say if Cherfilus-McCormick’s decision to resign was the correct one.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decorous. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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