propriety

And if vulgarity can still shock—and amuse—by working on our alarmed sense of propriety, then we still have a sense of propriety.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

"Models do not understand intent. They do not understand context. They do not understand propriety or right or wrong," she told BBC News.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

For the sake of propriety — Paley was one of the 20th century’s most powerful media paschas — his indiscretions were kept quiet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026

When asked by ABC News’ Mary Bruce about the propriety of hosting the prince, the president blithely dismissed the concern.

From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2025

Anything he says Charlie will translate, and my dad’s sense of propriety can’t allow that to happen.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

He was concerned that if he died intestate, his proprieties would not be passed to Li.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 24, 2023

Ms Villiers told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The Prime Minister is very clear that proprieties were observed."

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2019

White says that the song was a declaration that the White Stripes weren’t going to observe punk proprieties.

From The New Yorker ● Mar. 5, 2017

But he could quickly drop into loner mode, shy away from company, rebuff unsought friendship, assert the middle-class proprieties he grew up with.

From New York Times ● Mar. 31, 2011

Father had warned me that demons sometimes do not have a feeling for the proprieties.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep