DECOROUS Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

decorous

adjective

ˈde-kər-əs

Definition of decorous

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

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 Pentagon leaders have almost always publicly couched the military’s use of violence in decorous euphemisms designed to show the solemnity of lethality. — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026 Paul has to buck the prevailing suffragist movement led by Carrie Chapman Catt, whose methods are more decorous and patient. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 29 Jan. 2026 The hearings are usually decorous affairs, where anger is routine but controlled. — David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 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

Get to Know the Employees A polite conversation can go a long way, especially in a city like mine, where people usually expect a conversation with a stranger to go poorly.

— Aliyah Rodriguez, The Spruce, 7 Aug. 2026
Fejzo is in her late fifties, petite and brunette, with birdlike features and a polite intensity.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of polite

Adjective

The framework the surgeons built around it required formal disclosure of the atlas's origin to readers, to surgical teams, and to patients, along with bioethicist review and a memorial to the people depicted.

— Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Iran’s government holds annual formal ceremonies in Tehran to honor their memory.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of formal

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

Definition of ceremonious

Adjective

Reese, by the way, finished Monday's loss to the Aces with respectable numbers.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Welbeck led the way in masking that blow, as Brighton ended up with a respectable total of 52 league goals last season — 10th-best in the division.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of respectable

Adjective

Her parents were able to buy a nice home in the Seattle area for $300,000 and still afford different extracurricular activities for her and her siblings.

— Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
The puffiness that may come with a little late-night partying when the weather is nice is no match for this serum's ability to de-puff eye bags.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of nice

Adjective

Employees may have to explain context that the agent should already have or fail to provide it at all, which can potentially result in tasks being performed to less-than-satisfactory expectations.

— William Jones, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
While the result is not fully satisfactory, Khun Tharo, program manager at CENTRAL, said the organization respects the workers’ decision.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 31 July 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

Many people struggled to determine how much liquid to add to dissolve the powder and the correct dose to draw up once it was dissolved.

— C. Michael White, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026
And the only person who is the correct heir to the throne is Johnny Knoxville.

— Julian Le Ballister, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of correct

Browse Nearby Words

decorative

decorous

decorously

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“Decorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decorous. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of decorous

adjective

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