comport

IPA/kəmˈpɔːt/
KK[kəmpˈɔrt]IPA/kəmˈpɔːrt/

comport — verb

  • comportpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • comportshe / she / it
  • comportedpast simple
  • comporting-ing form

1. to conduct yourself in a particular manner — almost always used reflexively (com

1.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to conduct yourself in a particular manner — almost always used reflexively (comport oneself), in formal contexts such as court, ceremony, or diplomatic settings, where attention to dignified or correct conduct is expected.

Example

Throughout the long trial, Adisa comported herself with quiet dignity.

reflexive: comport oneself with [noun]

The young diplomats were trained to comport themselves properly at state dinners.

plural reflexive in formal/diplomatic register

Common collocations
  • comport oneself with dignity
  • comport oneself well/badly
  • comport oneself properly
  • comport oneself like
Synonyms
  • conduct (oneself)

    near-identical and slightly more common; both formal and reflexive.

  • behave

    everyday register; not necessarily reflexive ('the children behaved').

  • carry (oneself)

    emphasises posture and outward bearing rather than the propriety of actions.

  • deport (oneself)

    very formal/archaic synonym of comport oneself; rarely used today.

Antonyms
  • misbehave

    everyday register; opposite of behaving with the expected propriety.

Grammar Patterns

comport + oneself + adverb/adverbial

Usage Note

Almost exclusively reflexive (comport oneself); a bare 'comport' without a reflexive pronoun is unidiomatic. Subject is typically a person whose conduct is being judged in a formal or ceremonial setting.

Common Mistakes

He comported very well at the wedding.
He comported himself very well at the wedding.
comport in this sense needs a reflexive pronoun (himself/herself/themselves).
She comported the meeting calmly.
She conducted the meeting calmly.' / 'She comported herself calmly during the meeting.
comport does not take a non-reflexive object; for running an event, use conduct.

2. (of an idea, statement, action, or piece of evidence) to fit or agree with somet

2.verbintransitiveC2
Definition

(of an idea, statement, action, or piece of evidence) to fit or agree with something else — used in formal writing, especially in legal and academic argument, to say that a claim lines up with the surrounding facts, principles, or established practice.

Example

The witness's account does not comport with the physical evidence found at the scene.

negative form: does not comport with [evidence]

Nora argued that the new policy comports with the company's stated values.

subject = policy / claim; comport + with + value/principle

Common collocations
  • comport with the evidence
  • comport with the facts
  • comport with precedent
  • comport with values/principles
  • does not comport with
Synonyms
  • accord (with)

    near-identical formal synonym, slightly more frequent in legal writing.

  • agree (with)

    everyday register; works in nearly any context where comport would.

  • be consistent (with)

    neutral register; common in academic writing.

  • square (with)

    more informal; often used in negative form ('doesn't square with the facts').

Antonyms
  • contradict

    stronger — implies direct conflict, not just lack of fit.

  • conflict (with)

    neutral antonym; common in both formal and everyday writing.

Grammar Patterns

comport + with + noun

Usage Note

Subject is typically a claim, ruling, account, finding, or policy; object of 'with' is the standard it must agree with (evidence, law, principles, prior studies). Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense is intransitive, takes 'with', and never uses a reflexive pronoun.

Common Mistakes

The new rule comports the old one.
The new rule comports with the old one.
sense 2 always needs the preposition 'with'.
His story comports himself with the facts.
His story comports with the facts.
no reflexive pronoun in this sense; that belongs to sense 1.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four describe how a person presents themselves in front of others, but the register and grammar differ sharply. Behave is the everyday choice and the only one that works without a reflexive pronoun ('the children behaved well'). Conduct oneself is formal, common in workplace and ceremonial contexts, and is the closest near-synonym of comport oneself. Comport oneself goes a step further in formality — it belongs in court reports, royal protocol, and diplomatic prose, and sounds odd in casual speech. Carry oneself shifts the focus to physical bearing — posture, walk, the way someone holds their head — rather than to moral propriety. Compare: 'She behaved well at dinner' (neutral); 'She conducted herself professionally at the meeting' (workplace); 'She comported herself with dignity throughout the trial' (formal/ceremonial); 'She carries herself like a dancer' (about bearing, not conduct).

comport ↗conduct ↗behave ↗carry ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • comport oneself with dignity
  • does not comport with the facts

Prepositions

  • with (sense 2: comport with)

Etymology

LatinMiddle FrenchEnglish

Borrowed in the 1500s from Middle French comporter ('to behave, endure, tolerate'), itself from Latin comportare 'to bring together, carry along' — from com- ('with, together') + portare ('to carry'). The English sense developed via the idea of 'carrying oneself' a certain way: how you outwardly carry your body and conduct became how you comport yourself. The second sense (to agree with, fit together) preserves the Latin idea of bringing things together more transparently.

First known use

1589

1589, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense Noun