nice-nelly 1 of 2

nice nelly

2 of 2

noun

as in puritan
a person who is greatly concerned with seemly behavior and morality especially regarding sexual matters some nice nelly bowdlerized this collection of wartime ditties that were lustily sung by the men around the campfire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nice-nelly
Adjective
  • Historical Mystery Show: Step into a world of Victorian elegance and deadly secrets when DeBary Hall Historic Site partners with Gateway Center for the Arts to present a Historical Mystery Show.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 June 2025
  • Gardenia Restaurant, located in the Victorian mansion downtown, now has outdoor dining under the trees and live music every Friday evening.
    Debby Rice, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Centuries after being burned at the stake, a witch named Jennifer (Veronica Lake) magically reappears and tries to torment the descendant of the puritan who led the charge against her — only to fall in love with him.
    Clark Collis, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
  • Naysayers and scene puritans are too late to tear down Turnstile; the Baltimore band heard it all before its third album even dropped anyway.
    Pitchfork, Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Wisconsinites are also distinguished by their puritanical work ethic.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • First, the movement of women telling their stories of victimization online was dismissed by many as a toxic importation of puritanical American mores that were unnecessary in a culture of seduction and harmony between the sexes.
    Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 May 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Nice-nelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nice-nelly. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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