common decency
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of common decency
First recorded in 1630–40
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.
Most Americans understand this instinctively and reject government actions that violate their sense of what law and common decency permit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026
“On its own, social isolation can foster a sense of alienation from humanity — from the common decency, social norms and kindness — that create safety in society,” Manly said.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2024
"It's no longer based on data nor common sense, nor even common decency."
From BBC ● May 26, 2023
As a chief executive with 114 million followers, he’s someone who shouldn’t be mocking common decency and facts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2022
That the military was accountable, reasonable, and was kept in check by concentric circles of regulations, laws, common sense, common decency.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
