1
as in etiquette
socially acceptable behavior
some people miss the straitlaced propriety that was largely abandoned in the 1960s
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in manner
proprieties plural
personal conduct or behavior as evaluated by an accepted standard of appropriateness for a social or professional setting
an etiquette columnist who insists that traditional proprieties are necessary in order to maintain a civil society
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in appropriateness
the quality or state of being especially suitable or fitting
I'm not sure about the propriety of serving champagne in these glasses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of propriety
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—
Jack Dunn, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
The clash of beauty and filth is well suited for Brontë’s desolate tale of romance in a tempestuous climate, where Cathy is constantly caught between Victorian propriety and her baser, wilder nature.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Faulkner said the Apartment Association will also help arrange community gatherings with first responders at participating proprieties.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
But Regency England has strict rules for courting couples, and Simon and Daphne are soon skirting the lines of propriety when their feelings become authentic.
—Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Jack Dunn, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
The clash of beauty and filth is well suited for Brontë’s desolate tale of romance in a tempestuous climate, where Cathy is constantly caught between Victorian propriety and her baser, wilder nature.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Faulkner said the Apartment Association will also help arrange community gatherings with first responders at participating proprieties.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
But Regency England has strict rules for courting couples, and Simon and Daphne are soon skirting the lines of propriety when their feelings become authentic.
—Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propriety
Noun
-
March 2026 Prose's debut novel is centered around Molly Gray, a 25-year-old maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel, who has an obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Lisa buys out the bar and endorses some questionable NBA etiquette.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Larson, who grew up on a farm in North Dakota, has a rangy frame and a folksy manner.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
-
ZKPs is a method that allows a person—looking to verify themselves—to answer statements in a manner that establishes trust to the verifying party without unveiling personal or secret information.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Because the structure, built in 1890, is within the city’s historic district, a certificate of appropriateness is required for exterior work on the building, including relocation and demolition.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Parents deserve a voice in their child’s education, and educators bring training and experience in curriculum, age-appropriateness and instructional standards.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But Americans are so politically divided that the decorum that was once a given during State of the Union addresses has now given way to partisan outbursts and interruptions.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The still schematic design shows a large-scale grid across its facades grasping at some form of architectural decorum while demonstrating the building’s unwieldly proportions.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To test the validity of this story, researchers need to peer back in time to the solar system’s first moments and beyond.—
James Dinneen,
Quanta Magazine,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Only two images of Martin have surfaced online since the incident, and Fox News Digital could not verify the validity of either.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These seem like basic decencies and are embarrassing to type out.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Does leadership, integrity and decency have no appeal to them?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In taking this event as his starting point, Alper has created a film that is both culturally specific, and has plenty of wider applicability as well.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
-
If multiple hypotheses work to explain the data equally well but one conflicts with reality in some other realm (and the other doesn’t), the one that’s valid across the widest range of applicability is superior.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Iran's morality police arrested a 22-year-old woman, accusing her of failing to cover her hair.—
Scott Pelley,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Inspired by the sci-fi and fantasy stories that helped her escape from reality during those early years in the US, her writing often explores morality and relationships in hypothetical, fantastical worlds.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Propriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propriety. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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