stickler

noun

stick·​ler ˈsti-k(ə-)lər 

1

: one who insists on exactness or completeness in the observance of something

a stickler for the rules

2

: something that baffles or puzzles : poser

Examples of stickler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Emery is a stickler for detail, but players accepted that more important games require even more scrupulous preparation. —Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 21 May 2026

Her employer may also be a stickler for being punctual. —Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026

Though far from a revolutionary by nature, John was a stickler for law. —Literary Hub, 13 May 2026

The rise of the grammar sticklers Many of today’s ideas about what constitutes correct English are based on a singular – often mistaken – 19th-century view of the forces that govern our language. —Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stickler

• tickler

Kids Definition

stickler

noun

stick·​ler ˈstik-(ə-)lər 

1

: a person who insists on exactness or completeness in the observance of something

a stickler for the rules

2

: something that baffles or puzzles