proper

1 following the established traditions of refined society and good taste the formal ball called for proper attire—tuxedos and full-length gowns only Synonyms befitting, correct, decent, decorous, de rigueur, genteel, nice, polite, respectable, seemly Related Words acceptable, adequate, satisfactory, tolerable; dress, dressy, formal; dignified, elegant, gracious; priggish, prim, stiff, stuffy; apt, material, relevant; compatible, congenial, harmonious; allowed, authorized, kosher, permitted Near Antonyms intolerable, unacceptable, unsatisfactory; casual, grungy, informal; seedy, shabby, tacky; banned, barred, disallowed; forbidden, interdicted, outlawed, prohibited, proscribed; awkward, gauche, ungraceful Antonyms improper, inappropriate, incorrect, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, unbecoming, ungenteel, unseemly

2 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 accurate, bang on [chiefly British], dead-on, exact, good, on-target, precise, correct, right, so, spot-on, true, veraciousRelated Words legitimate, logical, sound, valid; errorless, faultless, flawless, impeccable, inerrant, infallible, letter-perfect, perfect; rigorous, strict, stringentNear Antonyms defective, faulty, flawed, imperfectAntonyms false, improper, inaccurate, incorrect, inexact, off, untrue, wrong

3 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 correct, decorous, formal, nice, ceremonious, punctilious, starchy, stiff, stiff-necked, stiltedRelated Words sober, solemn, stately; chivalrous, courtly, gallant; genteel, polished, refined; civil, courteous, polite, red-carpetNear Antonyms improper, indecorous, unmannerly; discourteous, impolite, rudeAntonyms casual, easygoing, informal, laid-back, unceremonious

4 meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation you'll need to have a proper diet if you want to lose weight Synonyms applicable, appropriate, apt, becoming, befitting, felicitous, fitted, fitting, good, happy, meet, pretty, fit, right, suitableRelated Words condign, deserved, just, justified; needed, required, requisite; able, capable, competent, cut out, qualified, trained; pitch-perfect; acceptable, adequate, decent, kosher, satisfactory, serviceable, tolerable; correct, decorous, respectable, seemly; balanced, companionate, congruous, consonant, harmonious; rightfulNear Antonyms incapable, incompetent, inept, inexpert, unqualified, unskilled, unskillful, untrained; inadequate, intolerable, unacceptable, unsatisfactory; graceless, incorrect, indecorous; incompatible, uncongenialAntonyms improper, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, incongruous, indecent, infelicitous, malapropos, misbecoming, unapt, unbecoming, unbeseeming, unfit, unfitting, unhappy, unmeet, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong

5 serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group malaria and other diseases that are proper to the tropics Synonyms classic, diagnostic (also diagnostical), discriminating, distinct, distinctive, distinguishing, identifying, individual, peculiar, characteristic, symptomatic, typicalRelated Words idiosyncratic; identifiable, pronounced, unmistakable; general, generic; common, normal, regular, usual; especial, particular, special, specific; archetypal (also archetypical), model, paradigmaticAntonyms atypical, nontypical, uncharacteristic, untypical