INDECOROUS Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'indecorous' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of indecorous are improper , indelicate , unbecoming , and unseemly . While all these words mean "not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste," indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners. // indecorous behavior

Q: When could 'improper' be used to replace 'indecorous'?

While in some cases nearly identical to indecorous , improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method. // improper use of campaign contributions

Q: When is 'indelicate' a more appropriate choice than 'indecorous'?

Although the words indelicate and indecorous have much in common, indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling. // indelicate expressions for bodily functions

Q: Where would 'unbecoming' be a reasonable alternative to 'indecorous'?

In some situations, the words unbecoming and indecorous are roughly equivalent. However, unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one's character or status. // conduct unbecoming to an officer

Q: When might 'unseemly' be a better fit than 'indecorous'?

The meanings of unseemly and indecorous largely overlap; however, unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste. // remarried with unseemly haste

indecorous

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈde-k(ə-)rəs

Definition of indecorous

as in inappropriate

not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation an indecorous joke for a solemn moment in the marriage ceremony

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective indecorous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of indecorous are improper, indelicate, unbecoming, and unseemly. While all these words mean "not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste," indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners.

indecorous behavior

When could improper be used to replace indecorous?

While in some cases nearly identical to indecorous, improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method.

improper use of campaign contributions

When is indelicate a more appropriate choice than indecorous?

Although the words indelicate and indecorous have much in common, indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling.

indelicate expressions for bodily functions

Where would unbecoming be a reasonable alternative to indecorous?

In some situations, the words unbecoming and indecorous are roughly equivalent. However, unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one's character or status.

conduct unbecoming to an officer

When might unseemly be a better fit than indecorous?

The meanings of unseemly and indecorous largely overlap; however, unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste.

remarried with unseemly haste

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of indecorous Still, the quips here feel both recycled and indecorous, as if misogyny and the #MeToo Movement are just ideas to laugh at. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026 This was likewise interpreted by some as an indecorous gesture of thanks aimed at corporate sponsors. — Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 Australian screenwriter McNamara’s comic sensibilities are more in line with English than American humor — which brings the plus of scathing wit, if also the minus of a certain decorum even in outbursts of indecorous fury. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025 The massive tag is gone now but something just as indecorous seems likely to replace it. — Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 With round-the-clock musicians, magicians, comedians, blue men and white Bengal tigers, the Strip became the premier global destination not just for indecorous gambling, but also for family-friendly entertainment. — Chris Carra, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 Now five seasons old, The Constructivists also have taken a step up in ambition by casting local veteran James Pickering as David, the latest in a run of wild, unhinged and indecorous old men the septuagenarian has brought to life on stage. — Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2023 Even a white-collar defendant’s photograph of himself holding a baseball bat next to a prosecutor’s photo might be easily dismissed as indecorous, but free, speech. — Elliot Williams, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023 There was a palpable undercurrent of dissatisfaction among offensive players – grumbling about the predictability of the offense and what looked like indecorous snickering when the locker room opened. — Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Dec. 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for indecorous

Adjective

The home, along Norris Avenue in the northern Arden-Arcade area, has sparked opposition from neighbors and local officials who say its location near multiple schools and in the middle of a residential neighborhood is inappropriate.

— Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Hochman said Flores simply could have taken notes on the inappropriate comments and turned them in to superiors or the independent inspector general, which strikes me as either sweetly naive or disingenuous.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adjective

Issues include elevated pH levels,and improper signage, filters and ladders.

— Abby Dodge, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
According to the Graves County Sheriff's Office, Flores, an employee at Graves County Middle School, is accused of having an improper relationship with a minor student in the district.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of improper

Adjective

When channels are created with unsuitable blades, angles, or placement, transplanted hair may grow in an unnatural direction or produce an overly uniform appearance.

— Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Websites often attract unsuitable clients due to ineffective copy, hindering business growth.

— Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Adjective

The fact that the scoreboard was incorrect, Guccione told a pool reporter after the game, does not play a part in the ruling.

— Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
The counterweight to that allure is emotional intelligence, the instinct to notice when the numbers are accurate, but the feeling is incorrect.

— Olatunde Badmus, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of incorrect

Adjective

The agent that flagged a bad clause in June stops flagging it in July, and nobody did anything wrong, and nothing broke.

— Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Using the wrong type of cleaning product for your tub’s material can result in scratches, discoloration, or chips.

— Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of wrong

Adjective

So this became, like, a collective therapy session for everyone unhappy with the government.

— Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Their heated exchange on the field lasted more than two minutes, with Jones unhappy that Szoboszlai had given the captain’s armband to Tsimikas rather than him when the Hungary midfielder was substituted 13 minutes from time.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of unhappy

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“Indecorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indecorous. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of indecorous

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