deportment

noun

de·port·ment di-ˈpȯrt-mənt

dē-

Synonyms of deportment next

: the manner in which one conducts (see conduct entry 1 sense 2) oneself : behavior

were instructed in proper dress and deportment

His features are strong and masculine …, all his motions graceful, and his deportment majestic.—

Jonathan Swift

Did you know?

Deportment evolved from the verb deport, meaning "to behave especially in accord with a code," which in turn came to us through Middle French from Latin deportare, meaning "to carry away." (You may also know deport as a verb meaning "to send out of the country"; that sense is newer and is derived directly from Latin deportare.) Deportment can simply refer to one's demeanor, or it can refer to behavior formed by breeding or training and often conforming to conventional rules of propriety: "Are you not gratified that I am so rapidly gaining correct ideas of female propriety and sedate deportment?" wrote 17-year-old Emily Dickinson to her brother Austin.

Choose the Right Synonym for deportment

bearing, deportment, demeanor, mien, manner, carriage mean the outward manifestation of personality or attitude.

bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture.

a woman of regal bearing

deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training.

your deportment was atrocious

demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior.

the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter

mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor.

a mien of supreme self-satisfaction

manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others.

the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders

carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking.

the kind of carriage learned at boarding school

Examples of deportment in a Sentence

The new students were instructed in proper dress and deportment. His stiff deportment matched his strict demeanor.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Companies often want employees not only to be tall but also to have a fair complexion and good deportment. —

Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore, Foreign Affairs, 16 Nov. 2015 Why cast a hearing actor with tremendous charisma next to a deaf actor who is made out (in costuming, grooming and general deportment) to be a schlub? —

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024 But on the first night of a three-day visit to Southern California, the focus shifted to Williams’ personality, deportment and wiring. —

Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2024 Rubinstein opened salons around the world to sell her products and the lifestyle associated with them, offering everything from skin analysis to deportment classes. —

The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deportment