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
Saban was different from Carroll, more punctilious but no less competitive or curious about defenses, with an unusually keen eye for identifying talent.
—
Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2024
Rudolf, before he is eventually tasked with moving on to another camp, is a punctilious, contented autocrat.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Dec. 2023
His punctilious, every-word-counts lyricism makes your head hurt in a good way, like GZA’s Liquid Swords, Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele, and RZA’s Gravediggaz work all congealed in a thrilling sonic stew.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2023
The Pith: Honorable intent and punctilious adherence to proper form and method does not guarantee a set of results which flesh out a genuine phenomenon.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2011
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2024
Rudolf, before he is eventually tasked with moving on to another camp, is a punctilious, contented autocrat.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Dec. 2023
His punctilious, every-word-counts lyricism makes your head hurt in a good way, like GZA’s Liquid Swords, Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele, and RZA’s Gravediggaz work all congealed in a thrilling sonic stew.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2023
The Pith: Honorable intent and punctilious adherence to proper form and method does not guarantee a set of results which flesh out a genuine phenomenon.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2011
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctilious
Adjective
-
The former officials’ attorneys, represented by former Hunter Biden attorney Abbe Lowell, are seeking back pay and a formal declaration that the firings were unlawful.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The proposal has not yet been presented to the FA Board and there has been no formal vote at EFL level, either.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The hearings are usually decorous affairs, where anger is routine but controlled.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Still, Julie Rotblatt Amrany got the flying ponytail right and delivered a decorous portrayal that was well received.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Lloyd is 100 percent correct that throwing him into his first start against any of those teams could end up being a massive mistake and could set him up for failure.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
All documents marked secret should only be visible to people with the correct clearances.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Today is the eleven year anniversary of the release of Destiny, perhaps not as ceremonious as last year’s tenth anniversary, one that did not end the series, but Bungie presses on.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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At some schools, the general manager is a ceremonious one, given to a program’s famous alumnus who can help gin up interest and money.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Giving Wickham a nice holiday tan would be a bridge too far for the genteel world of Jane Austen.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Some decisions are prudent, such as the Las Vegas Raiders to defeat the New England Patriots at a nice underdog price.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
After the 1-0 win, Bright spoke to the media about being ‘proper English’.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
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The proper name for the show is IAA Mobility 2025, short for Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
On Monday, her husband, the Duke of Kent, and daughter Lady Helen Taylor appeared solemn as her coffin was taken by hearse from Kensington Palace to Westminster Cathedral for a private vigil.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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No happening is too solemn, in this world, for a heaping portion of unabashed self-promotion.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punctilious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctilious. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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