in the strict/strictest sense (of the word)
idiom
—used to refer to using the correct or precise meaning of a word
He's not a volunteer in the strict/strictest sense (of the word) because he receives a small stipend.
Examples of in the strict/strictest sense (of the word) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not in the strictest sense, but his dentures will be on the block on February 6 at the Cotswold Auction Company in scenic Cheltenham, a spa town in the U.K. Designed by his dentist, Wilfred Fish, and made around 1939, they were constructed to protect Churchill’s natural — and distinctive — lisp.
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Brian T. Allen, National Review, 27 Jan. 2024
Godzilla is thus an apocalyptic figure, in the strictest sense of the word: a thing of unmasking, of revelation.
—Asher Elbein, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023
Right now, American therapists are primarily accountable to their state licensing board, but these organizations tend to respond only to ethical violations in the strictest sense.
—WIRED, 28 Sep. 2022
These animals probably weren’t pets in the strict sense, but may have been working partners and companions to humans.
—Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2021
Brian T. Allen, National Review, 27 Jan. 2024
Godzilla is thus an apocalyptic figure, in the strictest sense of the word: a thing of unmasking, of revelation.
—Asher Elbein, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023
Right now, American therapists are primarily accountable to their state licensing board, but these organizations tend to respond only to ethical violations in the strictest sense.
—WIRED, 28 Sep. 2022
These animals probably weren’t pets in the strict sense, but may have been working partners and companions to humans.
—Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in the strict/strictest sense (of the word).' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near in the strict/strictest sense (of the word)
Cite this Entry
“In the strict/strictest sense (of the word).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20strict%2Fstrictest%20sense%20%28of%20the%20word%29. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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