as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
old-money aristocrats with a punctilious sense of propriety
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Recent Examples of punctilious
The Irish actor Andrew Scott deftly embodies James Stagg, the punctilious Scottish chief meteorologist.
—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 29 May 2026
The following top 10 best horror movies of 2024 are all quality films that will stand the test of time thanks to their punctilious craft.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 1 Jan. 2025
If the roles of estate planner, trustee and personal representative for a client by themselves are deemed to be conflicting positions, as suggested by the court’s opinion, then punctilious adherence to the conflict rules regarding sales of financial products or insurance is even more important.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
But judging asylum claims on this standard has often been an exhaustive, slow and punctilious process, ascertaining the persecutor’s intent, verifying the claimant’s beliefs or identity at the root of the persecution and so on.
—Bill Frelick, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 29 May 2026
The following top 10 best horror movies of 2024 are all quality films that will stand the test of time thanks to their punctilious craft.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 1 Jan. 2025
If the roles of estate planner, trustee and personal representative for a client by themselves are deemed to be conflicting positions, as suggested by the court’s opinion, then punctilious adherence to the conflict rules regarding sales of financial products or insurance is even more important.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
But judging asylum claims on this standard has often been an exhaustive, slow and punctilious process, ascertaining the persecutor’s intent, verifying the claimant’s beliefs or identity at the root of the persecution and so on.
—Bill Frelick, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctilious
Adjective
-
Adebimpe released his first formal solo album, Thee Black Boltz, via Sub Pop last year.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
17 June 2026
-
The 8,688-square-foot Colonial Revival has nine bedrooms, seven bathrooms, eight fireplaces, Flemish bond brickwork, slate roofing and formal gardens.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
This is a lovely, if rather decorous and reverent, tale of an illicit affair that’s unlikely to cause as much noise as Dhont’s last two films.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
-
But such disagreements tended to be handled with the decorous language of diplomacy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Players must match the circles to the correct side while also clicking their controller correctly.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Through its new Homes for Generations Program, the Unified Government may help pay for court filing fees, foreclosures or other documents related to transferring the title into the correct person’s name.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
It is celebrated with a ceremonious parade that features a cavalcade of men dressed in Roman soldier costumes, evoking a sense of solemn thanksgiving and spiritual devotion.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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The ones named Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion by the judges make a ceremonious visit at the end of the day to the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in downtown Denver.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The rooms with bunk beds and lodges are especially nice for spreading out a bit, and are a quick walk from the main building hosting the restaurant and a beautiful library/lounge on the upper floor (yet another great Northern Lights spot).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
-
But just something would have been nice.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Potential asylum seekers had no proper access to legal advice, and some people were held for weeks, much longer than the three days that the law allowed.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Most Red Raiders feel that Texas Tech does not get its proper piece of all of that Permian Basin revenue, which flows legally, and freely, to Texas A&M and the University of Texas; those rights bloat A&M to UT’s respective endowments to the billions, while Tech only gets millions.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
To be fair, abducted 9-year-old Rainy is pretty cute, with solemn eyebrows and a conscience that continually puts her in peril.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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The once-rising developer’s solemn promise is not likely to be fulfilled if court records in his federal criminal case and a parallel Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit are any indication.—
Jay Weaver
June 6,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punctilious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctilious. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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