seemly

American  

[seem-lee] / ˈsim li /

adjective

seemlier, seemliest

1. fitting or becoming with respect to propriety or good taste; decent; decorous.

   Your outburst of rage was hardly seemly.

   Synonyms:

   meet, appropriate, proper, right

2. suitable or appropriate; fitting.

   a seemly gesture.

   Synonyms:

   meet, appropriate, proper, right

3. of pleasing appearance; handsome.

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adverb

1. in a seemly manner; fittingly; becomingly.

seemly British  

/ ˈsiːmlɪ /

adjective

1. proper or fitting

2. obsolete pleasing or handsome in appearance

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adverb

1. archaic properly or decorously

Other Word Forms

• seemliness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of seemly

1175–1225; Middle English semely < Old Norse sæmiligr honorable; derivative of sœmr ( see seem)

Explanation

You don't want to seem anything less than seemly, especially in the presence of the Queen. Only seemly behavior is allowed when she's around. Seemly behavior is polite, decent, upright, and appropriate. You'll need to get schooled in the ways of more seemly people before you can be allowed in the fanciest restaurant in town. At the moment, your ratty clothes, smelly feet, and bad manners can only be described as "unseemly" — which is, of course, the opposite of seemly. One way to remember the meaning of seemly is to think of how you'd like to "seem" to others. Chances are the answer is something like seemly. Unless you enjoy seeming like a big mess.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

seemly seemlier seemliest

In court papers, state prison officials indicated their prospects for buying the drugs started to change as soon as it seemly likely lawmakers would pass the shield law.

From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2023

Her trial would be more seemly had she offered a different defense.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 30, 2021

Richard Hofstadter rooted mid-20th century conspiracism in the feeling of being dispossessed, a feeling seemly confirmed by the outcome of public decisions upon which the "paranoid" could exert little to no influence.

From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2021

Ford's ability to seemly stop time in the park without effort also fascinates me.

From New York Times ● Oct. 23, 2016

And he was. pleased when his second son’s wife bore also in her season, and she gave birth to a girl first as was fitting and it was seemly out of respect to her sister-in-law.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

Being just a poster boy, after all, is so much seemlier.

From Time Magazine Archive

If Bobby Knight had played a little more at Ohio State 25 years ago, college basketball might be a little seemlier today.

From Time Magazine Archive

Of two such blessings, why forget The cheaper and the seemlier one?

From The Book of Humorous Verse by Wells, Carolyn

Lieutenant Bonaparte, Would it not seemlier be to shut thy heart To these unhealthy splendours?—helmet thee For her thou swar'st-to first, fair Liberty?

From The Dynasts by Hardy, Thomas

Yea and for thyself it is seemlier far to go thus than on foot, for the places where we must wash are a great way off the town.'

From The Odyssey Done into English prose by Lang, Andrew

He looketh from without the entrance under a little tree and seeth there sitting one of the seemliest men that he had ever seen of his age.

From The High History of the Holy Graal by Evans, Sebastian

Sir Le Beau Disconus rode to his lodging, and bade maid Elene put on her seemliest robes.

From The Junior Classics — Volume 4 by Patten, William

And when Sir Launcelot was so arrayed like a knight, he was the seemliest man in all the court, and none so well made.

From Le Mort d'Arthur: Volume 2 by Malory, Thomas, Sir

Of daughters, had he six: Derbriu, Ethne and Ele, Clothru, Mugain and Medb, myself, that was the noblest and seemliest of them.

From The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge by Dunn, Joseph

"Why, if our wives chose to believe this lady, she would embroil the seemliest household in the company."

From The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. II. (of V.) by Saintsbury, George