decency

Examples

• All

• At least he had the decency to wait until her death before starting to go public.

  Fiction book (1995)

• Nobody had had the decency even to ask him what his preferences were.

  Fiction book (1995)

• Or would you value decency above freedom?

• This is just like a basic human decency type of thing here.

• At least their poor, lost mother had had the decency to bring them up in the Church.

  Fiction book (1990)

• We need not choose between defending a standard of decency and a standard of justice.

  Academic text (1999)

• If the guilty party is among you, kindly have the decency to say so publicly.

  Fiction book (1994)

• He brought dignity, decency and confidence back to the White House.

  The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

• Any human being with an ounce of care for justice and decency would be emotionally involved.

  Fiction book (1991)

• Everyone deserves to be treated with decency and kindness, regardless of their background.

Synonyms

H

honor

vsdecency

• US

∞ 2.2

Respect given to a person for good moral behavior

places more weight on everyday respectful conduct and accepted social norms

R

respect

vsdecency

∞ 1.0

Polite actions or words that show you value someone

adds formal social norms and wider moral expectations to those attitudes

C

courtesy

vsdecency

296 1.9

Polite actions or words that show respect for other people

is the wider quality of morally correct and respectful behaviour

M

manners

vsdecency

248 1.0

Polite ways of behaving toward other people, like saying please and thank you

extends beyond learned politeness to include moral rightness and respect

C

civility

vsdecency

71 4.2

Polite and respectful words and actions toward other people

adds private moral standards and broader personal respect beyond public polite behaviour

D

decorum

vsdecency

• Formal

30 7.3

Polite and proper behavior in formal situations

covers polite respect and wider moral standards, not only taste or style

P

propriety

vsdecency

• Formal

27 7.4

Behavior that most people think is correct in a situation

emphasises polite respect and broader moral standards rather than mere form

P

politeness

vsdecency

26 1.3

Showing good manners and respect to other people

adds moral correctness and general respect beyond routine courteous acts

B

breeding

vsdecency

24 6.7

Polite manners learned from family or education

is broader, covering moral correctness and public respect beyond upbringing

G

good manners

vsdecency

23 1.0

Polite and respectful actions toward other people

covers that courtesy plus broader moral expectations and social standards

B

benevolence

vsdecency

16 6.1

Kind feelings and actions that help other people

focuses more on social respect and moral acceptability rather than pure kindness

N

niceness

vsdecency

11 1.3

A kind and polite way of treating other people

adds stronger sense of moral correctness and accepted social behaviour

T

thoughtfulness

vsdecency

8 2.9

Being kind and careful about other people's needs and feelings

stresses polite respect and following accepted social and moral standards too

G

graciousness

vsdecency

6 4.1

Being kind, polite, and generous to other people

is more about meeting social and moral expectations, not only gentle kindness

P

politesse

vsdecency

• Formal

1 9.9

Formal good manners and speech that shows respect for others

is broader, including everyday respectful and moral behaviour not only formality

H

humaneness

vsdecency

1 5.1

Kindness and care for people or animals

is centred on social respect and accepted moral behaviour rather than only compassion

U

uprightness

vsdecency

1 5.6

Being honest and doing the right thing

includes that morality but also emphasizes polite social behaviour and norms

R

respectfulness

vsdecency

1 3.9

Polite and kind behavior toward other people's feelings and wishes

is broader by pairing that consideration with general moral conduct

V

virtuousness

vsdecency

1 6.9

Being honest and doing what is right

adds the social polite and respectful element alongside strict moral conduct

D

decentness

vsdecency

4.4

A quality that shows polite, honest behavior and neat clothes

is the more commonly used term for that social quality

S

seemliness

vsdecency

• Formal

8.9

Good behaviour that follows social rules and shows respect for others

stresses polite respect plus general moral behaviour rather than only appropriateness

C

courteousness

vsdecency

3.5

A polite way of behaving that shows respect for other people

includes that politeness but also general moral and social standards

C

considerateness

vsdecency

6.1

Care for other people's needs and feelings

includes that thoughtfulness but also emphasises conformity to moral rules

Antonyms

R

rudeness

27 1.8

Lack of politeness or respect for other people

I

impropriety

• Formal

16 8.0

Behavior that is not socially acceptable

I

indecency

• NSFW

12 6.3

Behavior or speech people find offensive and wrong

How Decent

uprightness

1 5.6

respectability

19 4.6

propriety

• Formal

27 7.4

decency

155 3.0

impropriety

• Formal

19 8.1

indecency

• NSFW

12 6.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology