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
Michael BrooksRitualistic 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
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
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
Maia Szalavitz2
: 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
Jed OelbaumExamples of ritualistic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Maria cites Brazilian performance artist Lydia Clark as an influence as well Felix Gonzalez Torres, the ritualistic healing traditions of Maria’s Cuban Yoriba tradition, and Yoko Ono’s sonic explorations.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
The event, held at Cathedral of the Incarnation and led by Nashville Bishop Rev. J. Mark Spalding, was more than a moment of ritualistic remembrance, but a window into the local Catholic populous’ evolving identity.
—Liam Adams, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Brody played Nikolai Wolf, the Satanist responsible for the ritualistic sacrifice that leads to Jennifer's possession.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 9 June 2025
Examining the real reasons for this is less fun—and, for many, less profitable—than imagining that Hollywood is a front for ritualistic sadism.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 3 June 2025
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Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
The event, held at Cathedral of the Incarnation and led by Nashville Bishop Rev. J. Mark Spalding, was more than a moment of ritualistic remembrance, but a window into the local Catholic populous’ evolving identity.
—Liam Adams, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Brody played Nikolai Wolf, the Satanist responsible for the ritualistic sacrifice that leads to Jennifer's possession.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 9 June 2025
Examining the real reasons for this is less fun—and, for many, less profitable—than imagining that Hollywood is a front for ritualistic sadism.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ritualistic
Cite this Entry
“Ritualistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritualistic. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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