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

It was all very public, and not very seemly.

From New York Times ● Dec. 31, 2021

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

I wanted to tell him that I would miss him, but I didn’t think saying such a thing would be seemly.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

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

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

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

But one of the company said, "Indeed, the daughter of King Such-an-one is seemlier than he."

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 11 [Supplement] by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

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

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

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 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