propriety
noun
pro·pri·e·ty
| \ prə-ˈprī-ə-tē
\
\
plural proprieties
Definition of propriety
1
: the quality or state of being proper or suitable : appropriateness
2a
: conformity to what is socially acceptable in conduct or speech
c
: fear of offending against conventional rules of behavior especially between the sexes
3
obsolete
: true nature
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Synonyms & Antonyms for propriety
Synonyms
Antonyms
impropriety, indecency, indecorum
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Examples of propriety in a Sentence
If Madison felt the same annoyance with the dissenters, his prim sense of political propriety forbade him from stooping to personal attacks.
— Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings … , 1996
His austere and basically humble personality imposes a curious damp propriety upon his memorial.
— John Updike, New Yorker, 1 July 1991
In contemporary America the appearance of prosperity is all too often taken as a sign of propriety.
— Jack Beatty, Atlantic, December 1989
She conducted herself with propriety.
They debated the propriety of the punishment that he was given.
When attending a wedding, there are certain proprieties that must be observed.
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Recent Examples on the Web
The decision to be demure, to rely on colors that do not offend or call attention, is tied up in class-specific ideas of propriety and respectability. — Cate Young, Vox, "Claws is a love letter to the proud, strip mall–fabulous American woman," 2 Aug. 2019 Republicans also are likely to press Mueller on the origins of the probe before his appointment and the propriety of investigative tactics the FBI used in dealing with the Trump campaign. — Matt Zapotosky, The Denver Post, "Five things to know about Robert Mueller’s testimony," 23 July 2019 That inquiry was initiated by Attorney General William Barr in response to his concerns about the propriety of some early steps taken in the case. — Matt Zapotosky, BostonGlobe.com, "Wray says FBI has seen uptick in domestic terrorism cases motivated by white supremacy," 23 July 2019 To keep up a semblance of propriety, the couple stayed at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s nearby Anmer Hall estate. — Martha Ross, The Mercury News, "Queen Elizabeth snubs Boris Johnson’s girlfriend for palace visit: She takes ‘a dim view of adultery,’ report says," 26 July 2019 Appropriately, The Times is a lodestone; Gesine reveres it as a voice of reason and propriety sifting the world into sensible sentences. — New York Times, "New & Noteworthy Visual Books, From Maurice Sendak’s Stage Sets to Dogs in Space," 19 July 2019 The first lady, in contrast, was a zealous student of propriety and occasion throughout the England visit. — Washington Post, "Trump’s catastrophic fashion choices in England were not just a sign of bad taste," 6 June 2019 French tailoring is an exercise in proportion, discretion, propriety and je ne sais quoi verve. — Vogue, "Meet the Parisian Design Duo Offering Refined Tailoring at Just the Right Price Point," 23 May 2019 Other groups, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, are now weighing in on the propriety of such comparisons. — Karen Ann Cullotta, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago’s Jewish community split over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s comparison of border detention to ‘concentration camps’," 24 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'propriety.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for propriety
propriety
noun
English Language Learners Definition of propriety
formal
: behavior that is accepted as socially or morally correct and proper
: the state or quality of being correct and proper
: rules of correct social behavior
See the full definition for propriety in the English Language Learners Dictionary
propriety
noun
pro·pri·ety
| \ prə-ˈprī-ə-tē
\
\
plural proprieties
Kids Definition of propriety
1
: correctness in manners or behavior
He went beyond the bounds of propriety.
2
: the quality or state of being proper
3
proprieties plural
: the rules of correct behavior
the proprieties of weddings
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