improper

[im-prop-er]

See more synonyms for improper on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not proper; not strictly belonging, applicable, correct, etc.; erroneous: He drew improper conclusions from the scant evidence.
not in accordance with propriety of behavior, manners, etc.: improper conduct at a funeral.
unsuitable or inappropriate, as for the purpose or occasion: improper attire for a formal dance.

abnormal or irregular: improper functioning of the speech mechanism.

Origin of improper

From the Latin word improprius, dating back to 1535–45. See im-², proper

Related formsim·prop·er·ly, adverbim·prop·er·ness, noun

Synonyms for improper

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1–3. inapplicable, unsuited, unfit. 2. indecorous. Improper, indecent, unbecoming, unseemly are applied to that which is unfitting or not in accordance with propriety. Improper has a wide range, being applied to whatever is not suitable or fitting, and often specifically to what does not conform to the standards of conventional morality: improper diet; improper behavior in church; improper language. Indecent, a strong word, is applied to what is offensively contrary to standards of propriety and especially of modesty: indecent behavior, literature. Unbecoming is applied to what is especially unfitting in the person concerned: conduct unbecoming a minister. Unseemly is applied to whatever is unfitting or improper under the circumstances: unseemly mirth.

Antonyms for improper

1, 3. fitting, suitable. 2. proper.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for improper

incorrect, unwarranted, inadmissible, inaccurate, irregular, inappropriate, wrong, erroneous, awkward, ill-advised, imprudent, false, untoward, unjust, indecent, wrongful, unseemly, unethical, abnormal, discordant

Examples from the Web for improper

Contemporary Examples of improper

Farrell issued a ticket to an 18-year-old shipyard worker for speeding and an improper exhaust mechanism, according to the TP.
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise
Jason Berry
January 3, 2015
And if any police were warning bars against serving the Santas, “that would be improper behavior by a government official.”
Before the Bros, SantaCon Was as an Anti-Corporate Protest
David Freedlander
December 12, 2014
I feel sorry because (patients) got the surgery with improper devices, so they might suffer from it.
Patients Screwed in Spine Surgery ‘Scam’
The Center for Investigative Reporting
November 3, 2014
It could be that those downstream abnormalities in cell development were due to improper signaling from the cerebellum.
Early Brain Injury Might Be the Root of Autism
Russell Saunders
September 7, 2014
Improper burial, Dove says, could mean that harmful bacteria are leeching into the waterways.
Aporkalypse Now: Pig-Killing Virus Could Mean the End of Bacon
Carrie Arnold
August 20, 2014

Historical Examples of improper

For my own part, I thought pride in his case an improper subject for raillery.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
It is also, in the present acceptation of the word, improper.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. II
Francis Augustus Cox
Before we quit this island, it will not, perhaps, be improper to mention some things about it.
The History of Louisiana
Le Page Du Pratz
I am but the son of poor parents, and may have been tempted to some things that are improper.
Homeward Bound
James Fenimore Cooper
The improper connections were soon removed and others substituted.
Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout
Victor Appleton

British Dictionary definitions for improper

improper

adjective

lacking propriety; not seemly or fitting
unsuitable for a certain use or occasion; inappropriatean improper use for a tool
irregular or abnormal

Derived Formsimproperly, adverbimproperness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for improper

adj.

mid-15c., "not true," from French impropre (14c.), from Latin improprius, from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + proprius (see proper). Meaning "not suited, unfit" is from 1560s; that of "not in accordance with good manners, modesty, decency" is from 1739. Related: Improperly (late 14c.).