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
This version of Evangelina—the one that’s the picture of propriety —is the one that has endured until now.
—
Laura Gómez, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2025
Ibsen was exploding bourgeois hypocrisy by cramming his plot with taboos, then asserting that the greatest sin was the propriety that kept people from speaking frankly and living freely.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
Marshall kept pressing the point beyond the bounds of propriety.
—Tevi Troy, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Andrews' nuanced design of P.L. Travers' creation is an astute, mellifluous, and delightfully intimidating creature of talent and propriety — and as the world would realize, so, too, was Andrews.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Laura Gómez, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2025
Ibsen was exploding bourgeois hypocrisy by cramming his plot with taboos, then asserting that the greatest sin was the propriety that kept people from speaking frankly and living freely.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
Marshall kept pressing the point beyond the bounds of propriety.
—Tevi Troy, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Andrews' nuanced design of P.L. Travers' creation is an astute, mellifluous, and delightfully intimidating creature of talent and propriety — and as the world would realize, so, too, was Andrews.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propriety
Noun
-
There's another group of passengers who should never remove their shoes, said Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, an etiquette expert.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Jo Hayes is an etiquette expert, consultant, and the founder of Etiquette Expert.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Fast forward to 2025, and Leicester away has once again witnessed a big moment, though not quite in the same manner as 2019.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Even, or especially, at its most desperately convoluted, the film throws off a giddy sense of freedom, of the sheer range of options available to Lee, Angela, Chris, and Min; their freedom to lie, in all manner of creative ways, far outstrips that of the earlier film’s characters.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Tuscany with a side of magic: Savoring Bolivia’s wine country Singapore is known for its decorum rules, such as no spitting or chewing gum.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
-
Unfortunately, many, such as U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, have abandoned that decorum, resorting to profanity that was once unthinkable in professional settings.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Rather than focusing on the validity of Trump's executive action, the Justice Department argued that a judge in one part of the country shouldn't be able to block actions nationally.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The manipulation of the Death Master File itself has obliterated its validity as a data source for financial and commercial institutions.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In an era when political discourse so often descends into outrage and division — on cable news, in Congress, even in school board races — the quiet decency shown in Skokie feels all the more remarkable.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2025
-
This is a different kind of World War II love story, about a hidden jewel and the power of radio waves and the mysterious ways in which human decency can survive even the cruelest circumstances.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Elsewhere, an extra treat out of the showcase was this exclusive interview with Bullet Train Explosion director Shinji Higuchi, who talked casting singer-actor Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and the morality behind the film.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2025
-
There are great Star Wars projects and terrible Star Wars projects, but even the best ones, like Empire Strikes Back, are framed in relative black-and-white morality, designed to evoke the kid-friendly pulp and adventure stories that George Lucas loved so much as a child.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
But even during what in hindsight seems like the agency’s peak of relevance, a sense of unease and mounting scrutiny remained.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
No fin-de-siècle artist was more fascinated by the artistic relevance of gawkers on the streets of Paris than Félix Vallotton.—
Heather O’Donnell,
The New York Review of Books,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
He’s now deemed heroic in adhering to the Seven Virtues -- faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.—
Brian T. Allen,
National Review,
24 Apr. 2025
-
There is a fine line between prudence and penny-pinching.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Propriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propriety. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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