puritanical
adjective
pu·ri·tan·i·cal
ˌpyu̇r-ə-ˈta-ni-kəl 
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by a rigid morality
2
: puritan
Examples of puritanical in a Sentence
some of the state laws concerning sexual behavior are vestiges of a more puritanical time and are rarely, if ever, enforced
Recent Examples on the Web
Ed’s mother was said to be a fanatically puritanical figure who isolated him from others, convinced the rest of society was evil.
—
Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
In a strange puritanical gesture, the kiss was cut.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
This is where generalized odor anxiety intersects with the aforementioned puritanical squeamishness.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Shiite Iran feared the regional ascendance of Sunni radicalism in the form of the puritanical Taliban, an ambitious al-Qaeda, and other militant factions, as well as further instability on its eastern border—Iran was then, and remains now, home to many Afghan refugees.
—Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puritanical
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Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
In a strange puritanical gesture, the kiss was cut.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
This is where generalized odor anxiety intersects with the aforementioned puritanical squeamishness.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Shiite Iran feared the regional ascendance of Sunni radicalism in the form of the puritanical Taliban, an ambitious al-Qaeda, and other militant factions, as well as further instability on its eastern border—Iran was then, and remains now, home to many Afghan refugees.
—Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puritanical
Cite this Entry
“Puritanical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puritanical. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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