1
as in polite
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
the formal ball called for proper attire—tuxedos and full-length gowns only
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in correct
being in agreement with the truth or a fact or a standard
there is really more than one proper way to pronounce that word in English
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
we had nodded and said hello to one another but had never had a proper introduction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in appropriate
meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation
you'll need to have a proper diet if you want to lose weight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in characteristic
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group
malaria and other diseases that are proper to the tropics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 proper
Congress has not fulfilled its role as a proper check on the executive in recent years, often choosing partisan loyalty over genuine oversight.
—
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
An analysis of those cases revealed a pattern among women arrested for low-level charges, who said they were not given proper care in jail and had their cries for help ignored.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 7 May 2026
As long as a document is presented in its proper form, they are legally required to record it.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
The process of scraping food, touching the sink and other surfaces will leave your hands needing a proper wash as well.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for proper
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
An analysis of those cases revealed a pattern among women arrested for low-level charges, who said they were not given proper care in jail and had their cries for help ignored.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 7 May 2026
As long as a document is presented in its proper form, they are legally required to record it.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
The process of scraping food, touching the sink and other surfaces will leave your hands needing a proper wash as well.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for proper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proper
Adjective
-
That’s not English society, that’s every society, at least every polite society.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
This is the true story…of two strangers… picked to work together… and have their lives taped…to find out what happens… when people stop being polite…and start getting real.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The correct volume is 165 million metric tons.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
-
Reinsdorf feels Graham is the correct solution to these problems.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
This ritual, known as 'Sukye-sik,' is a formal ceremony where followers vow to live according to Buddhist teachings.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 May 2026
-
For years, conservative politicians and commentators have portrayed it as a coordinated extremist threat, though law enforcement assessments have generally described it as decentralized and lacking formal leadership.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Messings, to their credit, ultimately agreed that a social-rehabilitation program was the appropriate path for me.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
-
Not only atypical job seekers like me, but also people looking for housing, appropriate medical treatment, and a fair financial shake from lenders.—
Michelle Dally,
Denver Post,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
As plants use rainwater to grow, their leaves pick up the rain’s characteristic ratio of hydrogen isotopes—atoms with the same number of protons and different numbers of neutrons.—
Hannah Richter,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
-
Some of these shortcomings are characteristic of early-release hardware, where first adopters often have to navigate rough edges as features mature.—
Michael Lydick,
PC Magazine,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
The call wasn’t satisfactory for Perez.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 May 2026
-
The defense was more than satisfactory in subduing the league’s top offense.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But part of the reason is that even with our most precise and accurate measurements that lead to a determination of the gravitational constant, those various teams and methods haven’t converged on a single answer.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 May 2026
-
More accurate simulations could speed up drug discovery, improve materials design, and reduce the need for costly laboratory experiments.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
One thing that makes Vim comfortable for me is the combination of Vim-Airline and Promptline, which together provide a nice status bar that helps highlight some useful info as one is editing a file.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
-
Right now, trends favor nice and pleasant weather Mother's Day morning into mid-afternoon with the chance of rain increasing toward the dinner hour and beyond.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proper. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
