improperly

adverb

as in incorrectly
in a mistaken or inappropriate way the manufacturer's warranty is no longer valid if the appliance is used improperly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 improperly The inspector general also wrote that a procurement agent improperly shared a vendor’s pricing information with the technology department on May 17, 2024, and the prices got in the hands of another vendor. — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026 The complaint accuses Love Renaissance of improperly diverting money from Walker’s touring, recording, marketing, and merchandising budgets, while charging excessive company expenses to those accounts in bad faith. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026 As the cattle population grew, so did the amount of waste, which MDE says was improperly managed. — Tara Lynch, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 A little under $700,000 was improperly reimbursed because those dollars went towards visits to an escape room, restaurants, bars, a strip club and a gym, according to investigators. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026 In the earlier trials, three convictions were tossed out, including one when the prosecutor improperly excluded African Americans from the jury. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 During the briefing, Vance asserted that these schools are improperly using J-1 visas, the main class of visa used by international postdocs, to bring in cheap labor rather than relying on domestic researchers. — Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026 The judge also found that the government improperly bypassed the usual process for adopting federal regulations. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 Some of the footage was played during a dayslong suppression hearing last December, when the defense argued evidence recovered during the arrest should be suppressed because Mangione’s backpack was improperly searched. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improperly
  1. incorrectly
  2. mistakenly
  3. erroneously
  4. inappropriately
Adverb
  • Cybersecurity protects systems against unauthorized access and manipulation, while functional safety protects people, equipment and the environment when systems fail or behave incorrectly.
    — Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Davis incorrectly assumed the agreement protected him from speaking publicly about Shakur’s murder.
    — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of incorrectly
Adverb
  • At that point, the group had botched its first two votes, mistakenly banishing two female faithfuls.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The Salvadoran national's case became a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to his home country last year.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistakenly
Adverb
  • In Arapahoe County, approximately 262,000 Arapahoe County voters received ballots that erroneously included Issue 7A, Clerk Joan Lopez said in a statement.
    — Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Later, campus administration clarified that their initial communication had been sent erroneously and the funds were being held temporarily for review.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of erroneously
Adverb
  • The company added several safety features designed with teens in mind after several lawsuits alleged its chatbots inappropriately interacted with underage users.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Small was accused of inappropriately touching a fellow staffer at an Albany bar following a June 16 staff event.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of inappropriately

Browse Nearby Words

improper
improperly
improperness
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Cite this Entry

“Improperly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improperly. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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