improperly

I1M3P3R1O1P3E1R1L1Y4
US/ɪmˈpɹɑ.pɚ.li/

adverb

In an improper manner; not properly.

Opposite
Less commonScrabble 19

Meanings

adverbimproperly (comparative more improperly, superlative most improperly)

comparative more improperly · superlative most improperly

  1. In an improper manner; not properly.
    1 more example

    Prosecutors also said Wednesday their side “does not intend to reference allegations that the defendant violated FARA or improperly coordinated with the Obama Administration,” referring to the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires people who lobby on behalf of foreign clients to register beforehand with the US government.

    2024 August 7, Marshall Cohen, “Prosecutors claim Hunter Biden once agreed to lobby US on behalf of Romanian businessman”, in CNN

    Synonyms: immorally, indecently, wrongly, illicitly, immodestly, immorally, incontinently, indecently

Synonyms & antonyms

More synonyms by meaning

adverbin an improper way

Opposite

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishimproprelich
  2. Englishimproperly

From Middle English improprelich, impropreliche, impropurly, inproperlye; equivalent to improper + -ly or im- + properly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan inadequadament
  • inadequadamentin an improper manner
Czech nepatřičně, nesprávně
  • nepatřičněin an improper manner
  • nesprávněin an improper manner
  • nevhodněin an improper manner
  • nedostatečněin an improper manner
French improprement
  • improprementin an improper manner
Italian inadeguatamente, a sproposito
  • inadeguatamentein an improper manner
  • a spropositoin an improper manner
Latin ūsūrpātīvē
  • ūsūrpātīvēin an improper manner
Portuguese inadequadamente
  • inadequadamentein an improper manner
Spanish impropriamente, impropiamente
  • impropriamentein an improper manner
  • impropiamentein an improper manner
Cite this entry
APA

improperly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improperly

MLA

“improperly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improperly. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “improperly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improperly.

Source: improperly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.