as in incorrectly
in a mistaken or inappropriate way
the manufacturer's warranty is no longer valid if the appliance is used improperly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 improperly
The lawsuit comes after the state's Supreme Court ruled last week that Hill’s actions triggered the legal presumption that the jury had been improperly influenced and that prosecutors failed to prove the verdict was unaffected.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
After an eight-year court battle, a Spanish court has ordered the country’s treasury to refund nearly $65 million to singer Shakira after ruling that the money was improperly collected.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 18 May 2026
During summer 2024, the IRS also rejected 28,000 claims based on probabilities of fraud rather than actual examination, so many may have been improperly rejected, said Erin Collins, independent National Taxpayer Advocate, in a blog.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Meanwhile, 24 eateries, including a local cafe, received citations for health code violations such as brown residue in the ice machine, a lack of quaternary ammonia test strips and improperly cooled food.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
may 15, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
Weinstein was first convicted in early 2020 of third-degree rape involving Mann, but a New York state appeals court overturned the conviction in 2024, ruling that the judge had improperly allowed testimony about allegations not directly tied to the case.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 15 May 2026
In their appeal, Murdaugh’s attorneys argued the motive did not make logical sense and said the prosecution improperly used the financial crimes evidence to malign his character.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
The Risks Of Storing Rotisserie Chicken Incorrectly Storing rotisserie chicken improperly can lead to spoilage, food safety risks, and loss in flavor and texture.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
Shortly afterward, Murdaugh's attorneys appealed and alleged that Hill had improperly influenced the jury and an investigation began.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
After an eight-year court battle, a Spanish court has ordered the country’s treasury to refund nearly $65 million to singer Shakira after ruling that the money was improperly collected.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 18 May 2026
During summer 2024, the IRS also rejected 28,000 claims based on probabilities of fraud rather than actual examination, so many may have been improperly rejected, said Erin Collins, independent National Taxpayer Advocate, in a blog.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Meanwhile, 24 eateries, including a local cafe, received citations for health code violations such as brown residue in the ice machine, a lack of quaternary ammonia test strips and improperly cooled food.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
may 15, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
Weinstein was first convicted in early 2020 of third-degree rape involving Mann, but a New York state appeals court overturned the conviction in 2024, ruling that the judge had improperly allowed testimony about allegations not directly tied to the case.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 15 May 2026
In their appeal, Murdaugh’s attorneys argued the motive did not make logical sense and said the prosecution improperly used the financial crimes evidence to malign his character.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
The Risks Of Storing Rotisserie Chicken Incorrectly Storing rotisserie chicken improperly can lead to spoilage, food safety risks, and loss in flavor and texture.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
Shortly afterward, Murdaugh's attorneys appealed and alleged that Hill had improperly influenced the jury and an investigation began.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improperly
Adverb
-
All 20 of those vendors showed some issue with accuracy or completeness in at least one of these simple tests, including nine that hallucinated patient information, 12 that recorded information incorrectly, and 17 that missed key details about discussed mental health issues.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, 12 staff members at a Dutch hospital where a hantavirus patient is being treated were told to quarantine after incorrectly handling bodily fluids.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Adverb
-
But security personnel mistakenly attributed that alarm to a herd of deer that was nearby.—
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
The officers did not say why the crowd seemed hostile to police, but did not disagree when one of the attorneys suggested that people streaming from the bars into gunfire that night may have mistakenly thought that law enforcement started the shooting.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Adverb
-
It had been erroneously reported that Kelce would wear Hilfiger gear as part of his gameday tunnel walk.—
Jeff Fedotin,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
An earlier version of this story erroneously suggested that Weinstein left the courtroom after experiencing chest pains.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Adverb
-
Her imperious, elderly father Herrmann (Sylvester Groth) has become disinhibited by dementia and is prone to touching his female caretaker (Patrycja Ziółkowska ) inappropriately, a problem Elsa doesn’t want to face any more than Lucy does.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
The affidavit further alleges that the girl told her father that Diaz touched her inappropriately, and that Diaz left and went to a nearby hotel.—
Charmaine Patterson,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Improperly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improperly. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
