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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 decorous
At home, the atmosphere was decorous, curious, gentle; outside, the culture of the nineteen-fifties was tougher, valorizing war and papering over a darker, more furtive kind of violence.
—
Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
When Elon Musk rewrote Twitter's old content rules for X, the platform's never-decorous conversations deteriorated further.
—Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
Aside from a series of gruesome martyr scenes frescoed on the interior wall of the second ring in the late 16th century, the décor reflects late Imperial taste for decorous abstraction and costly materials.
—David Laskin, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Aside from a series of gruesome martyr scenes frescoed on the interior wall of the second ring in the late 16th century, the decor reflects late Imperial taste for decorous abstraction and costly materials.
—The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decorous
Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
When Elon Musk rewrote Twitter's old content rules for X, the platform's never-decorous conversations deteriorated further.
—Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
Aside from a series of gruesome martyr scenes frescoed on the interior wall of the second ring in the late 16th century, the décor reflects late Imperial taste for decorous abstraction and costly materials.
—David Laskin, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Aside from a series of gruesome martyr scenes frescoed on the interior wall of the second ring in the late 16th century, the decor reflects late Imperial taste for decorous abstraction and costly materials.
—The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decorous
Adjective
-
Padilla ordinarily is a very polite guy, extraordinary civil — calm, soft-spoken, the opposite of an aggressive loudmouth.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
-
Gentle readers often ask Miss Manners how to respond to questions put to them for which there does not appear to be any polite answer.—
Judith Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Pioneer’s formal notice comes after the practice was revealed by Daniel Swift, a principal at the global tax consulting firm Ryan that represents a number of commercial property owners in Boston, and reported on this month by the Herald.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
25 June 2025
-
And on Tuesday, a day before his confirmation hearing, a whistleblower filed a formal complaint alleging Bove planned to knowingly defy court orders and withhold information from judges about the administration's deportation agenda.—
Carrie Johnson,
NPR,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Hollywood studios and craftspeople may be busy agonizing over the proper role of AI’s potential within the film industry, but Chinese studios aren’t slowing down.—
Mathew Scott,
HollywoodReporter,
19 June 2025
-
Most interesting is Cane’s prim and proper wife, Peyton (Danielle Campbell).—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
Ogden's #75 dons the back of one fan, Kris Prowse, who has opted – on this ceremonious day – to wear the jersey that started it all.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
-
The vice president’s role in officiating the Electoral College count before Congress — the final step in the election process before a president takes the White House — was known for many cycles as one that was mostly uneventful and largely ceremonious.—
Alex Gangitano,
The Hill,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s no denying that the second-generation Pontiac Firebird Trans Am muscle car tipped the scale toward kitsch, adding flares, spoilers, and a set of cringeworthy decals—available as of 1973 as a $55 option—to an otherwise respectable design.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
27 June 2025
-
Zeller was taken ahead of the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Steven Adams, a pair of big men who’ve had more than respectable careers.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Nevertheless, nice to get an explanation for why Vondrousova has been invisible.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
-
Other names that would be nice to see in the mix are Jon Hamm for Your Friends & Neighbors and Melanie Lynskey for Yellowjackets.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
At highway cruising speed, the SUV is satisfactory.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
16 June 2025
-
The sound from the optional Bose 12-speaker upgrade is satisfactory.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
24 June 2025
-
Sign into your Spectrum account to find the correct mailing address for your area.—
Kara McGinley,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decorous. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share