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

Recent Examples on the Web

To detach can lights from your ceiling to properly clean the baffle (the baffle is the conical cover typically found on recessed lighting fixtures) and the can light's housing: Remove the light bulb. —USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024

State auditors found the city spent hundreds of millions of dollars fighting homelessness without adequately tracking the spending or properly evaluating the effectiveness of its programs. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024

Much of the discussion on Tuesday is expected to center on how to properly interpret the text of a statute Congress amended in 2002 as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which followed the Enron scandal. —Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024

However, if the fractured bones do not align properly, then limited range of motion and pain can result without surgical intervention. —Harlan Selesnick, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2024

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the deceased once next of kin have been properly notified. —Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024

Now, those of us across the pond can properly fall in love with its lead Nicholas Galitzine in the English actor’s third major role of a breakout year. —Anna Tingley, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024

These molecules are critical for making proteins, and our bodies need 20 different kinds of amino acids in order to function properly. —Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024

But many of these systems are still nascent, and watermarking a chatbot’s outputs is only useful if government and local officials have the technology and training necessary on their end to properly scan for and identify the watermark. —Vittoria Elliott, WIRED, 10 Apr. 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