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

Bush 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

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 ritualistic sense of being upstate—that is, being humans in nature—is rendered subtly in this gloriously porous music. —Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024

Then comes the swapping, the ritualistic fly changes that either restore our confidence or send us spiraling. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 25 Sep. 2024

In the film, the residents of a suburban neighborhood suspect their new neighbors are ritualistic murderers. —Joe Otterson, Variety, 5 Sep. 2024

With little help from local authorities, a stubborn and resourceful Katherine uncovers a string of progressively frightening clues, eventually leading her right into the jaws of an ancient ritualistic evil. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1