as in overmodest
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for governessy
Adjective
-
Cross-dressing was prohibited, as were speeches that mocked or questioned the party’s prudish, pro-family, heteronormative views on gender and sexuality; traditional German culture was to be celebrated, not mocked.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026 -
Statistics like these have become part of a discussion about whether the culture is growing prudish and puritanical.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Self-righteous and self-important, priggish and nagging.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
Ghaywan’s script is explicit but never priggish in its moral standing, letting the outstanding performances drive home the perils of bigotry more than any grandstanding dialogue.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This month’s nail trends feel less prim-and-proper and more playful—think vivid colors and striking patterns that look like they’ve been pulled straight from a vibrant beach towel, fruit stand, or a sunset.—
Rebecca Norris,
InStyle,
18 June 2026
-
And then there’s the prim and unfriendly Stagg, who doesn’t play well with others, who insists on having the office to himself, and who refuses to let the affable Krick be a part of his reports to Ike and the rest of the generals.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
One scene that stands out to Brett involved a flirtatious conversation that fans only saw a small portion of.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
-
In a flirtatious scene shared by Netflix on Instagram, the actress can be seen risking a wardrobe malfunction in a brown string bikini.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
9 June 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Governessy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governessy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
