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
Ethel moves Carolyn’s bags to another room in keeping with propriety; this is a Catholic family, mind you.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
But the cult of quiet-luxury propriety that has sprung up around the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (also known as CBK) protects the fit of her cords and the length of her sweaters like sacred laws.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
But the cult of quiet-luxury propriety that has sprung up around the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (also known as CBK) protects the fit of her cords and the length of her sweaters like sacred laws.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
And a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propriety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propriety
Noun
-
In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The bundle also includes specialty courses like ASL for babies and toddlers — helpful for early communication — along with scuba diving hand signals and an introductory e-book on the origins and etiquette of sign language.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The medical examiner determined Moore’s cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death to be homicide.—
Kathryn Kovalenko,
Twin Cities,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Nothing except getting into fierce arguments with fellow-Jews, some would say, which Olitzky—who has a round, boyish face and a conciliatory manner—portrayed as a privilege rather than a burden.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The update comes as rodeo outfits have drawn attention online, including viral social media videos debating the appropriateness of attire worn by some attendees.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Selecting the right songs for your family's commute involves considering the mood, energy, and appropriateness of the lyrics based on your child's age.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Once Snelling took to the auditorium stage, CCPSA President Remel Terry reminded the 100 or so people in attendance to maintain decorum.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Graves said redistricting in his home state, nor the breakdown in decorum and hyper-partisanship of Congress, factored into his decision to retire.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to any principles of conflict of laws.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
In interviews with The News, though, some teachers and parents said the experienced administrator should not be held responsible for allegations about her husband or doubted the validity of the claims.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Shot in the back and left to die in the street without even the decency of our lawless government investigating their deaths.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Shot in the back and left to die in the street without even the decency of our lawless government investigating their deaths.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But Chiles’ attorney disputed the applicability of studies to her form of counseling.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
And while mice are not humans, the biology the team has identified is highly conserved across animals, Naik explains, and this suggests the finding may have some applicability to humans.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Policies were justified not with reference to morality or metaphysics but with citations of white papers.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In the winter of 2022, crowds around the globe protested after the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, taken into custody by Iran's morality police for how she was dressed.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Propriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propriety. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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