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
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
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
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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctilious
Adjective
-
Yet these benefits will primarily help those that already have access to a bank—and not the more than one billion that still lack access to formal financial systems.—
Sopnendu Mohanty,
Fortune,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Kobe never laid out the Mamba Mentality as a formal, step-by-step framework.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Their decorous representations of the war and republic are reassuring, especially to modern eyes, in their romanticized heroism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 July 2025
-
More decorous versions simply excluded Jews, Blacks, and others to create those ethnic enclaves Vance decries in the form of elite institutions from country clubs to, formerly, Congress and the courts.—
Rebecca Solnit
August 23,
Literary Hub,
23 Aug. 2024
Adjective
-
Trump and his appointees have loudly asserted that their vision for science in America is the correct one, representing truth rather than politics.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Without additional information, astronomers can't determine which of these possibilities is correct.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
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
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The name change is merely ceremonious to recognize the grand opening of the town's new Dunkin' location, officials said.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Both Trejo and Crowley rode in the 2025 Centennial Tucson Rodeo, a nice mirroring of the agency’s own 100-year history.—
Suzanne Wright,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The in-between woman has a nice corporate job in a nice corporate office.—
Weike Wang,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The suit claims the school failed to provide proper protective equipment and training to Wei.—
John Wisely,
Freep.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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Blackwood recently went to a hardware store where an employee had become known for her ability to mix a proper Carolina blue, and bought new paint.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
There really isn’t any ambiguity here: Congress must debate and deliberate over the solemn decision to declare and make war, and the executive carries out its mandates as commander in chief.—
Chris Lehmann,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, Warsaw rebuilds with striking glass façades and solemn memory—where modern museums rise beside war-scarred monuments.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punctilious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctilious. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
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