1
as in polite
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
the formal ball called for proper attire—tuxedos and full-length gowns only
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in correct
being in agreement with the truth or a fact or a standard
there is really more than one proper way to pronounce that word in English
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
we had nodded and said hello to one another but had never had a proper introduction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in appropriate
meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation
you'll need to have a proper diet if you want to lose weight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in distinguishing
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group
malaria and other diseases that are proper to the tropics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of proper
In the Tigers clubhouse, players sat at their lockers, trying to find the right words and the proper tone.
—
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Along with potentially being his 16th Number One album, Britpop is also Williams’ first proper pop album since 2016’s The Heavy Entertainment Show.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 10 Oct. 2025
Picked up in May, the new season is being written now, which means that the series will get a proper ending.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proper
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Along with potentially being his 16th Number One album, Britpop is also Williams’ first proper pop album since 2016’s The Heavy Entertainment Show.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 10 Oct. 2025
Picked up in May, the new season is being written now, which means that the series will get a proper ending.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proper
Adjective
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Always speaking calmly with a polite smile and a distinct Italian accent, Bassetti could easily be described as an iron fist in a velvet glove.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The rather polite 47-year-old Englishman remained transfixed on the massive video board down the hill.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The game gives players six attempts to guess a five-letter word, receiving feedback through colored tiles that indicate correct letters and their placement.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Another virtual orange door would appear upon entering the correct phrase into Google.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In Bronstein’s riskiest formal gambit, the child’s face is carefully hidden from view, in every shot except one.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement For that reason, collegiate sanctions for mild acts of civil disobedience may sometimes be relatively light—probation or a formal warning, for example, rather than suspension or expulsion.—
Christopher L. Eisgruber,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Multiple artists, including Marina Abramović, are credited as fine-arts collaborators for Masquerade, all of whom allowed the production to feature their thematically appropriate work.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
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Additional event information will be shared when appropriate.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This pair, in particular, earned high praise from senior shopping writer Alyssa Grabinski for its satisfactory support and cushioning, which aided her when embarking on daily walks.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
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These results were satisfactory for integrated graphics—better than some of its counterparts on some tests, and worse on others—and not quite as powerful as Apple’s M4.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The display is bright, resulting in accurate and vibrant colors.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
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Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The sound system isn’t as nice, and the side-view mirrors now have to be manually folded.—
Patrick George,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
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The gardener was removing excess leaves to give the tree a cleaner look, an attention to detail required at a nice hotel — The Grove — that’s been housing NFL teams since Aaron Glenn, now the New York Jets head coach, was still playing for the New Orleans Saints in 2008.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As comedians from Bill Burr to Kevin Hart were slammed for performing at Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival, Dave Chappelle said the Middle Eastern nation is actually more suitable for stand-up than the United States.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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Garlic from the grocery store is not suitable for growing.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proper. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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