decency
Americannoun
-
decencies
plural
-
the state or quality of being decent.
-
conformity to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste, modesty, etc.
- Synonyms:
- gentility, respectability, decorum
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decencies,
noun
-
conformity to the prevailing standards of propriety, morality, modesty, etc
-
the quality of being decent
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of decency
1560–70; < Latin decentia comeliness, decency, equivalent to decent- (stem of decēns ) fitting ( see decent) + -ia noun suffix
Explanation
The personal quality of decency is one of honesty, good manners, and respect for other people. Over time, decency has referred to manners, but today decency is mainly a strong sense of right and wrong, and a high standard of honesty. When a criminal or dictator does horrible things, people assume they have no sense of decency. When a tasteless or violent TV show becomes popular, some people wonder if society has lost its sense of decency. Asking "Have you no decency?" is a serious question, unless you're being silly and complaining about something like homework.
Vocabulary lists containing decency
Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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"Ad Power," "Without Commercials," and "What's Wrong with Advertising"
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My Brother Sam is Dead
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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.
See Examples For:
Before I’m going to serve you a history lesson, let’s at least start with decency.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
The man, Trevor Reece, 40, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency in September 2025.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
The unexpected decency of people thrown together on an unbearable day?
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
"My wife and I believe in treating others the way that we'd like to be treated, with decency and respect," Pence, a devout Christian, told CNN.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
“God forbid a strong stomach should be all that stands between killing and not. There’s decency, Minya. Mercy.”
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
By refusing to recognize the virtues of others, or even to observe the ordinary decencies, he succeeds only in diminishing himself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2018
And who is responsible for not enforcing those decencies?
From Washington Post ● Jan. 24, 2018
Ebola is a terrible disease that is taking a horrendous toll on countries already devastated by war and decencies of corruption and poverty.
From New York Times ● Sep. 12, 2014
As stars, they have allowed the media and their fans total access: the po-faced decencies of 1953 have given way to complete self-exposure as these celebrities treat themselves as public property.
From The Guardian ● May 31, 2012
Even in the midst of war, certain decencies needed to be observed.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
