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decency

American  
[dee-suhn-see] / ˈdi sən si /

noun

plural

decencies

  1. the state or quality of being decent.

  2. conformity to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste, modesty, etc.

    Synonyms:
    gentility, respectability, decorum

  3. decencies,

    1. the recognized standards of decent or proper behavior; proprieties.

      The least you can expect from them is some respect for the decencies.

    2. the requirements or amenities for decent or comfortable living.

      to be able to afford the decencies.
decency British  
/ ˈdiːsənsɪ /

noun

  1. conformity to the prevailing standards of propriety, morality, modesty, etc

  2. the quality of being decent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of decency

1560–70; < Latin decentia comeliness, decency, equivalent to decent- (stem of decēns ) fitting ( decent ) + -ia noun suffix

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.

With few words, Kuznetsov projects such decency and conviction that he recalls any number of virtuous fictional lawyers of yesteryear who stood up to evil.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The FCC - the country's broadcast media watchdog - regulates radio, TV and satellite airwaves, giving it power over a range of matters, including mergers and decency complaints.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

In October 2025, a 67-year-old retiree from Philadelphia sent an email to the Department of Homeland Security pleading for basic decency in how they carried out a high-profile asylum case.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2026

Pop icon Elton John on Friday accused the publisher of two UK tabloids of "abhorrent" privacy invasions "outside even the most basic standards of human decency" as he testified at London's High Court.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

He at least had the decency to die and leave me the Equatorial.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Definitions 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.