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

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

She adds in the series that she “didn’t feel it was seemly to get into a public fight with him.”

From Washington Post ● Mar. 8, 2021

GS But after he was no longer here, it didn’t seem... seemly.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 23, 2019

We wound through the meanders that led between stubbled mud-banks in no straight or seemly course.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

They were, so to speak, the first-fruits of a seemlier muse.

From The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 3 by Coleridge, Ernest Hartley

And when he joined the brave and stalwart ranks, Like Saul amid his brethren he stood, Braver and seemlier than all his peers, And nobly did he battle for the right.

From Poems by Holley, Marietta

But perhaps Saladyne's eye is levelled upon a more seemlier saint.

From Rosalynde or, Euphues' Golden Legacy by Baldwin, Edward Chauncey

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

"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

And he began to speak with the Queen, and he thought from her speech, that she was the seemliest, and most noble lady of converse and of cheer that ever was. 

From The Mabinogion Vol. 3 by Edwards, Owen Morgan, Sir

He already had the seemliest wife in the village.

From Roads of Destiny by Henry, O.

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