common decency

American

[kom-uhn dee-suhn-see] / ˈkɒm ən ˈdi sən si /

noun

moral or ethical behavior that is guided by fairness, empathy, propriety, justice, etc..

What ever happened to restraint, respect, and common decency?
Let's show some common decency and humanity and make the law nondiscriminatory.

Etymology

Origin of common decency

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Most Americans understand this instinctively and reject government actions that violate their sense of what law and common decency permit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

I try to treat people with common decency and respect, and I’m gonna to keep doing that moving forward even though I fell short this week.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2024

The bonds of nationality, community and common decency were understood to supersede partisanship.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2024

"It's no longer based on data nor common sense, nor even common decency."

From BBC • May 26, 2023

I could see her hesitate, her caution and repugnance struggling against instincts of common decency.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023