properly

adverb

prop·​er·​ly ˈprä-pər-lē 

: in a proper manner:

a

: in an acceptable or suitable way

behaving properly

trying to get the system to work properly

"Oh yes, I am not at all ashamed of it. I would have everybody marry if they can do it properly."

—Jane Austen

b

: in an accurate or correct way

It might more properly be termed a musical device than a musical form.

—Aaron Copland

Scoop out the seeds (properly called arils, a botanical term that includes the tiny actual seeds and the juicy, edible pulp around them).

—David Karp

Synonyms

• appositely
• appropriately
• congruously
• correctly
• duly
• fittingly
• happily
• meetly
• right
• rightly
• suitably

Examples of properly in a Sentence

the scouts were properly dressed for a week of camping

Recent Examples on the Web

His father’s weapon wasn’t stored properly, not locked in a case, out of the reach of his children. —James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024

Infections of this type are often caused by medical devices that haven’t been properly disinfected. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024

Hubble’s incident was due to an issue with one of the spacecraft’s gyroscopes, which are needed to properly point the telescope at its astronomical targets. —Briley Lewis, Popular Science, 9 May 2024

Headlines about wrongful arrests based on facial recognition—or chatbots not properly protecting customer data via encryption—highlight the need for holistic AI governance within aviation. —Brian Tossan, Fortune, 9 May 2024

Still, not all anglers know how to fish a jerkbait properly. —Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 9 May 2024

Among them: the perception that Section 8 renters are more likely to damage or not properly maintain units, commit crimes or be a nuisance to neighbors. —Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024

Kuchler also argued that the process to investigate the residency of an alderman was not followed properly, creating a court case that may not have been necessary. —Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 8 May 2024

The ban does not restrict the sale of balloons by party suppliers or manufacturers; they could still be used indoors or as decorations outdoors if properly secured. —Cara Buckley, New York Times, 8 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

properly

adverb

prop·​er·​ly

ˈpräp-ər-lē

1

: in a fit or suitable way

behave properly in church

2

: according to fact : correctly

properly labeled goods

properly speaking, whales are not fish