Synonyms

respectability

American

[ri-spek-tuh-bil-i-tee] / rɪˌspɛk təˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

respectabilities

the state or quality of being respectable.
respectable social standing, character, or reputation.
a respectable person or persons.
respectabilities, things accepted as respectable.

Other Word Forms

nonrespectability noun
prerespectability noun
semirespectability noun
superrespectability noun
unrespectability noun

Etymology

Origin of respectability

First recorded in 1775–85; respectable + -ity

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.

Dig beneath that and - barring a trip to Fantasyland in which Spurs win the Champions League - the rest of this season is now a quest for respectability, and for Frank, survival.

From BBC

His job is to find someone to lead a 3-14 team, outscored by 191 points this season, and drag it back to something approaching respectability.

From The Wall Street Journal

It challenged the idea of domestic respectability, treating the house as an open-ended experiment rather than a finished object.

From Los Angeles Times

He later won election to the British Parliament, a marker of respectability.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Carlson, by contrast, can be smooth and affable with an air of perfect respectability.

From The Wall Street Journal

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