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The Vocabulary Builder Workbook of Adjectives

Add 2,000 must-know adjectives to your vocabulary.

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impropriety

IPA:

How to pronounce impropriety (audio)

Dictionary definition of impropriety

Failure to observe social norms or etiquette by displaying behaviour that is improper or inappropriate.
"Her shocking impropriety at the formal dinner left guests astounded."

Detailed meaning of impropriety

It can also refer to the state of being violative of the rules and regulations in particular field. Impropriety can take many forms, such as dishonesty, fraud, conflict of interest, harassment, or any other behavior that is deemed unacceptable or unprofessional.

For example, you can say "The company's investigation revealed several instances of impropriety on the part of the manager." Or "his impropriety conduct at the meeting led to his dismissal"

It implies a violation of proper standards of conduct, often seen as morally, socially, or legally wrong. It can be used in a wide range of situations, for example in professional, personal, political and social contexts.

Example sentences containing impropriety

1. The CEO was accused of serious financial impropriety.
2. The executive faced accusations of impropriety for their involvement in insider trading.
3. The blatant impropriety of his comment made everyone squirm.
4. The teacher had to address the student's repeated impropriety in class.
5. They were promptly dismissed from the company due to allegations of financial impropriety.
6. The politician's unethical impropriety led to a full-blown political scandal.

History and etymology of impropriety

The noun 'impropriety' can be traced back to the Latin word 'improbitas,' which was derived from 'improbare,' meaning 'to disapprove' or 'to condemn.' In Latin, 'improbitas' conveyed the concept of moral depravity or dishonesty. As the word evolved and made its way into English, it underwent a semantic shift. 'Impropriety' came to denote a failure to observe social norms or etiquette by displaying behavior that is improper or inappropriate. This transformation reflects how actions or conduct considered morally questionable or dishonest in Latin came to be associated with actions or behavior that go against accepted social norms or decorum in English, resulting in the modern usage of 'impropriety' to describe such lapses in appropriate behavior or etiquette.

Quiz: Find the meaning of the noun impropriety:

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Further usage examples of impropriety

1. The impropriety of his actions irreparably tarnished his once-pristine reputation.
2. She had zero tolerance for any impropriety in the professional workplace.
3. The code of conduct explicitly prohibits any form of impropriety.
4. The auditor meticulously uncovered instances of financial impropriety within the company.
5. His disruptive impropriety during the crucial meeting caused considerable chaos.
6. The blatant impropriety of his behavior was painfully apparent to everyone present.
7. The company's well-established zero-tolerance policy for impropriety was widely acknowledged.
8. Her thoughtless impropriety on social media had severe consequences.
9. The court found him guilty of severe ethical impropriety, leading to a heavy penalty.
10. The impropriety of his unusual request was perplexing to all.
11. The board of directors launched a comprehensive investigation into the alleged financial impropriety.
12. They took swift, decisive action to rectify the impropriety within the organization.
13. The newspaper's investigative journalism exposed the politician's egregious impropriety.
14. The dedicated committee was formed to prevent any future impropriety.
15. The professor delivered a stern lecture on the devastating consequences of academic impropriety.
16. The impropriety of his racially insensitive remarks offended many in the audience.
17. Her careless impropriety in handling sensitive information ultimately resulted in a damaging leak.
18. The committee was resolute in its mission to ensure that impropriety had no place within the organization.
19. Upholding professional ethics means eliminating any form of impropriety from our workplace.

Prefix im-, ACT 2 (American College Testing), High School 5, Rudeness and Unrefined

indecorous,indiscretion,misconduct

dishonesty,illegitimacy,immodesty,immorality,impoliteness,inappropriateness,inaptness,indecency,indelicacy,inobservance,rudeness,unprofessionalism,unseemliness,vulgarity

indecency, propriety, decorum, appropriateness

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