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

the scouts were properly dressed for a week of camping

Recent Examples on the Web

The kitchen is still working some things out: a coconut turnover, an ultra-sweet Barbadian dessert listed on the menu for two, is bread-loaf-sized and more properly feeds four or five; a green-banana pastel covered in a variety of sautéed mushrooms is just sort of boring. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 4 May 2025

In more severe cases, gum graft rejection is possible, which is when the transplanted tissue fails to properly combine with the gum.12 Recovery Timeline The gum graft should fully fuse with the surrounding tissue within four to 12 weeks, with symptom recovery often taking about two weeks. —Mark Gurarie, Health, 3 May 2025

Line with Foil: While parchment paper will also work, lining the baking sheets with aluminum foil helps the cookies spread properly. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 2 May 2025

To his credit, Shepard took the entire situation on that January Armchair Expert episode in stride, even showing off his blue elephant-print boxers to the cameras to properly immerse the audience in the experience. —Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 2 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for properly

• improperly

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