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improper

improper

100 4.1
Not suitable according to normal rules or standards
  • adjective
  • /ɪmˈprɑːpər/
translation icon : inapropiado
  • She realized that her improper comments during the meeting were unprofessional and made others uncomfortable.
  • improper behavior
  • improper use
  • improper practices

And I read the first page and, and they weren't writing improper sentences.

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Examples

  • His behavior at the event was considered improper by the guests and led to him being asked to leave.

  • Actually, Clarke was the one guilty of an improper use of language.

    Academic text (1991)
  • I suppose they think something improper went on between us.

  • "I think it would be quite improper for me to discuss his affairs with you."

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Allowing a stranger access to the papers would certainly be improper, if not actually illegal.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The appeals court noted that the money penalty was improper because "we had acquired jurisdiction."

    Academic text (1999)
  • The gesture lands Blackwater in hot water with a federal charge of improper gift giving.

  • Environmentalists and residents near fish farms complain of improper disposal of fish waste.

    Academic text (1990)
  • I neither authorized nor encouraged subordinates to engage in illegal or improper campaign tactics.

  • The teacher explained that using a phone during class is improper and against the school's rules.

Synonyms

inappropriate
vsimproper
354 3.7

Not right for a situation or event

applies more widely to actions breaking accepted legal, moral, or social standards
unacceptable
vsimproper
256 3.2

Not good enough or not allowed by rules

points more to general wrongness against shared standards, including legal or moral aspects
not acceptable
vsimproper
44 2.2

Not allowed by rules and not good enough for standards

focuses more on being against accepted legal or moral standards rather than simple disallowance
unseemly
vsimproper
33 7.8

Not proper or polite for a situation

also applies to acts that break legal or moral standards beyond social offence
unsuitable
vsimproper
20 2.6

Not right for a person, place, or purpose

also applies when actions offend accepted legal or moral rules and standards
untoward
vsimproper
  • Formal
16 8.9

Not proper or polite and likely to cause trouble

relates more to breaches of accepted rules or moral codes than mere unexpectedness
unbecoming
vsimproper
  • Formal
15 6.7

Not suitable for a situation or for what people expect

covers these social wrongs but also other breaches of law or moral rules
unfitting
vsimproper
5.6

Not suitable for a certain situation or purpose

is used more broadly for acts that violate accepted rules or moral codes
unbefitting
vsimproper
  • Formal
7.2

Not suitable for a person or situation

is broader, applying to general breaches of accepted legal or moral standards
uncomely
vsimproper
  • Archaic
9.6

Not proper in dress or behavior in polite company

is narrower, focusing on social manners rather than legal or moral breaches

Antonyms

962 3.5

Right for a particular situation, person, or purpose

596 2.2

Suitable and correct for a particular situation or use

477 2.5

Good enough for a particular use or standard

Compounds

improper fraction
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A fraction with a top number equal to or larger than the bottom number

How Proper

proper
596 2.2
acceptable
477 2.5
improper
100 4.1
wrong
1.0

Surface Forms

improper positive
improperer comparative
improperest superlative

Morphology

improper = proper (transparent) = im + proper

The adjective is a direct negation of 'proper' using the productive negative prefix 'im-', so the meaning is predictable to learners.

Etymology

Improper comes from the negative prefix im- meaning 'not' and the word proper, which means 'right for the situation'. So, improper means 'not right' or 'not suitable', used when something does not follow the normal rules or manners.