as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
old-money aristocrats with a punctilious sense of propriety
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Recent Examples of punctilious
But judging asylum claims on this standard has often been an exhaustive, slow and punctilious process, ascertaining the persecutor’s intent, verifying the claimant’s beliefs or identity at the root of the persecution and so on.
—
Bill Frelick, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024
Saban was different from Carroll, more punctilious but no less competitive or curious about defenses, with an unusually keen eye for identifying talent.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2024
Rudolf, before he is eventually tasked with moving on to another camp, is a punctilious, contented autocrat.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Dec. 2023
The Pith: Honorable intent and punctilious adherence to proper form and method does not guarantee a set of results which flesh out a genuine phenomenon.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2011
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Bill Frelick, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024
Saban was different from Carroll, more punctilious but no less competitive or curious about defenses, with an unusually keen eye for identifying talent.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2024
Rudolf, before he is eventually tasked with moving on to another camp, is a punctilious, contented autocrat.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Dec. 2023
The Pith: Honorable intent and punctilious adherence to proper form and method does not guarantee a set of results which flesh out a genuine phenomenon.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2011
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctilious
Adjective
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But observers expect that once the settlement agreement has received formal approval, borrowers with affected student loans will be quickly forced to select a different repayment plan, or the Education Department will choose for them.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The base fare for many ships also includes numerous dining venues with frequently changing menus, from casual buffets to a more formal sit-down meal.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Let it be said, though, that ruling this fairyland—where sweets jump through hoops, perky as peppermint, or swirl around, rich as Spanish chocolate—requires not just a decorous carriage and a cordial disposition but true ballerina grit.—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
9 Dec. 2025
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The affair grows less decorous in farcical scenes of upstairs and downstairs life — kitchen staff toiling away on blunts, a trigger-happy shooting party, and cockney pub patrons breaking out in song — and the various side plots.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
3 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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In other words, these analysts are about as likely to make a correct pick as a corgi on TikTok that predicts sporting-event results by hitting a beach ball into a basket.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
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The group were also without gloves and the correct climbing equipment for their feet, per the Craven Herald.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The ones named Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion by the judges make a ceremonious visit at the end of the day to the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in downtown Denver.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
21 Jan. 2026
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More convincing in the film is cinematographer Talant Akynbekov’s observant, almost ceremonious lensing of carpet weaving, as well as of the beats of everyday life, sometimes accompanied by the traditional tunes villagers hum.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
23 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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And this is in a nice, pretty on-campus facility, not the old, dumpy Astrodome (although the Astrodome is still up, which is another story).—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Jan. 2026
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Here’s how to stay safe The recent snow and ice storm turned much of the nation into a winter wonderland—from the safety of a nice, cozy sofa indoors.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This neighborhood was not as grand as Harlem proper, but everyone who hung their hat here knew its allure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Combined with proper nutrition, exercise creates lasting results, not quick fixes.—
Fred Sassani,
Austin American Statesman,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The new film Leviticus, from director Adrian Chiarella, is a solemn and frightening acknowledgment of that reality, albeit one allegorized into supernatural horror.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
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Longitudinal documentaries — shot over many years and following their subjects over wide swaths of their lives — sometimes have a tendency to totalize, almost as if their scope justifies and perhaps demands a solemn, all-encompassing thesis.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punctilious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctilious. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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