1
as in etiquette
socially acceptable behavior
some people miss the straitlaced propriety that was largely abandoned in the 1960s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
For decades, the Supreme Court and Congress have recognized the propriety of administrative warrants in cases of immigration enforcement.
—
Luke Barr, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
The thinnest film of propriety is all that keeps us from appalling one another.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Or Phylicia Rashad’s Elizabeth Kirkland challenging Audra McDonald’s Dorothy Scott in a battle for social propriety?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Neither of them could keep from nudging at propriety, always eager to see what lay beneath.
—Daisy Rockwell, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Luke Barr, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
The thinnest film of propriety is all that keeps us from appalling one another.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Or Phylicia Rashad’s Elizabeth Kirkland challenging Audra McDonald’s Dorothy Scott in a battle for social propriety?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Neither of them could keep from nudging at propriety, always eager to see what lay beneath.
—Daisy Rockwell, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propriety
Noun
-
One is sheer ignorance of this etiquette rule.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
That includes basic phone etiquette, writing, professional dress, and openness to feedback.—
Wilborn P. Nobles III,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The fancy men are very rude to Tristan, which is terrible manners and therefore very UN-fancy, but Charlotte likes him.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The manner of death was ruled homicide, and the cause of death was a gunshot wound.—
Sarah Dahlberg,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Specifically, how will clinical appropriateness be ensured, how will care coordination be maintained, how will misuse and fraud be prevented, and who ultimately has negotiating leverage in drug pricing?—
Sreedhar Potarazu,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Some questioned the appropriateness of the LAPD’s relationship with security services from the Persian Gulf nation and other countries accused of human rights violations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Other benefits from the public comment changes in the decorum policy include a higher threshold to lower time limit and prioritization of Tarrant County residents over non-residents.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Feb. 2026
-
But Ritter delivered a brief but direct speech from the dais on the following day regarding decorum in the chamber, saying that the House rules prohibit overtly political displays by either legislators or the general public in the upstairs gallery.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Whaleco Technology has disputed the validity of the interim agreement’s termination notice.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Insurers are indeed responsible for assessing the validity of medical claims and paying for them.—
Chris Pope,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In a healthier political culture, his temperament and lack of decency would be disqualifying issues.—
Ray Nothstine,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Bad Bunny brought on Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, seamlessly, without stopping to genuflect, the mood moving from sweaty to open-hearted, then finally, with Bad Bunny dancing off the field, singing into the camera, a furious insistence on decency itself.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
9 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
-
Amanda Askell's job is to try to teach Claude a sense of morality, or how to be good.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The philosopher Aristotle wrote tomes on morality and human behavior.—
Tara Sonenshine,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Propriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propriety. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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