ritualistic

adjective

rit·​u·​al·​is·​tic ˌri-chə-wə-ˈli-stik 

-chə-ˈli-;

ˌrich-wə-

1

: of, in accordance with, or characterized by the use of ritual: such as

a

: relating to or done as a ceremony or rite

a ritualistic dance

For Rick, the clincher came in 2001, when he discovered 20 identical trumpets, made from a type of conch shell … . The trumpets were highly decorated, indicating a ritualistic use.

—Michael Brooks

Ritualistic language (such as the oyez, oyez, oyez or hear ye, hear ye, hear ye that opens a court session) separates legal proceedings from ordinary life, marking them as being special and important.

—Peter Tiersma

b

: done in accordance with social custom or normal protocol

… made the ritualistic visits to polling places, making a last-minute bid for support in this intense and important contest.

—Jeanne Meserve

c

: of, relating to, or being an act or series of acts regularly repeated in a set precise manner

The repetitive nature of online tasks—checking e-mail, searching for data, sending replies—has a soothing, ritualistic quality.

—Maia Szalavitz

2

: stressing the use of ritual forms : adhering to or devoted to ritualism

… the structure held ritualistic significance that spanned several historical eras before the arrival of the Spanish.

—Christopher Parker

We can look at Stonehenge not only to envision the ancient, ritualistic people who built it, but also to imagine a version of ourselves closer to nature … according to Wisser.

—Jed Oelbaum

ritualistically

ˌri-chə-wə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

-chə-ˈli-;

ˌrich-wə-

adverb

Examples of ritualistic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The project also carried quasi-ritualistic overtones in his cutting pieces of the truck, which were later presented as sculptures. —Antonio Sergio Bessa, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025

After their dad's death, a brother and sister wind up moving in with a new foster mother (a great Sally Hawkins) going to ritualistic extremes to fix a traumatic loss. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025

Former policewoman Nerea, dismissed from the force, is drawn back when ritualistic murders emerge, confronting ghosts of her past and city’s underworld. —Callum McLennan, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025

In the past, Kaepernick’s protest and countless other incidents have prompted reactionary vows to boycott the league, along with the ritualistic burning of team jerseys and other merchandise. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ritualistic

• anachronistic
• animalistic
• antagonistic
• antiphlogistic
• behavioristic
• cannibalistic
• capitalistic
• characteristic
• collectivistic
• deterministic
• ethnolinguistic
• expressionistic