Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective indecorous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of indecorous are improper, indelicate, unbecoming, and unseemly. While all these words mean "not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste," indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners.

indecorous behavior

When could improper be used to replace indecorous?

While in some cases nearly identical to indecorous, improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method.

improper use of campaign contributions

When is indelicate a more appropriate choice than indecorous?

Although the words indelicate and indecorous have much in common, indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling.

indelicate expressions for bodily functions

Where would unbecoming be a reasonable alternative to indecorous?

In some situations, the words unbecoming and indecorous are roughly equivalent. However, unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one's character or status.

conduct unbecoming to an officer

When might unseemly be a better fit than indecorous?

The meanings of unseemly and indecorous largely overlap; however, unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste.

remarried with unseemly haste

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indecorous The massive tag is gone now but something just as indecorous seems likely to replace it. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 With round-the-clock musicians, magicians, comedians, blue men and white Bengal tigers, the Strip became the premier global destination not just for indecorous gambling, but also for family-friendly entertainment. Chris Carra, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 Now five seasons old, The Constructivists also have taken a step up in ambition by casting local veteran James Pickering as David, the latest in a run of wild, unhinged and indecorous old men the septuagenarian has brought to life on stage. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2023 Even a white-collar defendant’s photograph of himself holding a baseball bat next to a prosecutor’s photo might be easily dismissed as indecorous, but free, speech. Elliot Williams, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023 There was a palpable undercurrent of dissatisfaction among offensive players – grumbling about the predictability of the offense and what looked like indecorous snickering when the locker room opened. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Dec. 2022 Both Diaz and Daichendt are old enough to remember the days when these cultures were seen as indecorous and even dangerous. San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 June 2022 Hurston often ran afoul of her contemporaries because of her indecorous proclamations. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2022 However indecorous her comments, those facts take her commentary out of the purview of the school district. Arkansas Online, 2 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indecorous
Adjective
  • Avoid anything offensive, violent or inappropriate.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • In the video, Adams accuses the man of being inappropriate with a minor on Grindr, a LGBTQ+ dating and social networking app where the minimum age to make an account is 18.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The lawsuit alleges faulty CCTV cameras and improper placement prevented the bridge operator from seeing Richard Dujardin.
    Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • According to court documents, Williams would show the child pornography while the improper acts would take place.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Although recoveries occurred, the stock’s drastic declines underscore a volatility profile that is unsuitable for risk-averse investors.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The woman said robot vacuums are ideal for light maintenance if used frequently, but are unsuitable for vacuuming the entire apartment.
    Latoya Gayle, People.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • One persistent issue is hallucinations, where the AI fabricates information that may seem plausible but is factually incorrect.
    Sameer Ather, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • The Directors Guild of America has advised its members that the WGA’s position is incorrect, and that they may be contractually obligated to perform such activities during a strike.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • For those really feeling that boozy Brewers magic, picking the wrong sister — and overlooking the shuttles' different colors, bar name and pick-up location — would mean a 30-minute walk to the correct bar after getting dropped off.
    Kylie Volavongsa, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The religion is wrong, the technology is wrong, the agriculture is wrong, the attitude is wrong.
    Fiction Non Fiction August 7, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • As with almost any change, some residents were unhappy, mostly about being told to slow down.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
  • President Donald Trump was unhappy with July’s U.S. jobs report, which showed hiring slowing (with 73,000 jobs added, compared to 100,000 predicted) and revised past months’ numbers.
    Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Indecorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indecorous. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on indecorous

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