What does “propriety” mean?
- 1
nouncorrect and polite behavior that follows accepted moral or social standards
She always behaved with complete propriety.
- 2
nounthe quality of being right or suitable for a situation
Some questioned the propriety of the minister’s actions.
Propriety at a glance
- Part of speech
- noun
- CEFR level
- C2 (proficient)
- Pronunciation
- /prəˈpraɪəti/ · pruh-PRY-uh-tee
How to use “propriety” correctly
Don’t confuse with “property”. “Impropriety” is often used about officials behaving wrongly.
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- decency
- correctness
- decorum
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- impropriety
Word family
- proper
- improper
- impropriety
“propriety” is on these word lists
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