: a person who advocates a rigorous moral code
Synonyms
Examples of bluenose in a Sentence
the editorial lambasts those bluenoses who feel they have the moral authority to dictate how other people should conduct themselves in private
Recent Examples on the Web
Hers is a tale of pink paint, bluenoses and brown coverup.
—
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
The National Endowment for the Arts, created as part of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society in 1965, is a perennial target of partisan bluenoses accusing it of all varieties of offenses against public morals and sensitivities, though efforts to abolish it have consistently failed.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
The Comstock Act was the brainchild of Anthony Comstock, one of the outstanding bluenoses of American history.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2023
But unlike some of his fellow combatants, Mr. Leo was too funny a writer to come off as a complete bluenose.
—New York Times, 11 May 2022
Bluenoses were bound to be pushed out of joint, so to speak, by a festival that was more Burning Man than County Fair.
—Logan Jenkins, sandiegouniontribune.com, 2 June 2017
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
The National Endowment for the Arts, created as part of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society in 1965, is a perennial target of partisan bluenoses accusing it of all varieties of offenses against public morals and sensitivities, though efforts to abolish it have consistently failed.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
The Comstock Act was the brainchild of Anthony Comstock, one of the outstanding bluenoses of American history.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2023
But unlike some of his fellow combatants, Mr. Leo was too funny a writer to come off as a complete bluenose.
—New York Times, 11 May 2022
Bluenoses were bound to be pushed out of joint, so to speak, by a festival that was more Burning Man than County Fair.
—Logan Jenkins, sandiegouniontribune.com, 2 June 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bluenose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1785, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near bluenose
Cite this Entry
“Bluenose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bluenose. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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