stickler

as in martinet
a person who believes that something is very important and should be done or followed all the time Her father was a stickler about arriving on time.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stickler Some people rely on points and miles, while others are sticklers about booking in advance or researching differential deals on sites like Groupon. Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2025 Xavier, who has been presented as a stickler for rules, breaks with protocol and begins his investigation without contacting any other authorities. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025 Favre-Jacot, a stickler for vertical integration, opened a brick factory to supply the materials for building the Zenith manufacture, located in Le Locle, Switzerland. Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025 The Chargers possess one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and Harris, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his first four NFL seasons, appears to be a recipe for success on paper for head coach Jim Harbaugh, who is a stickler for a good running game. Scott Thompson, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stickler
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stickler
Noun
  • But Muir’s co-moderator, Linsey Davis, was a different case: Davis wore a mannish, gray suit jacket and struck a pose of martinet — almost schoolmarmish — solemnity.
    Armond White, National Review, 20 Sep. 2024
  • There’s Cece’s father, long vanished; Ronnie, a predator; Marcel, a martinet; Joel, a manipulator; and a random catcaller in the street, whom Cece sends scurrying away by turning her acting skills to practical use.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 June 2024
Noun
  • By several accounts, Xi was a ferocious disciplinarian.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • He was variously depicted as both a strict disciplinarian and also an emotionally intelligent father figure to the players.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • On June 27, savvy Mercury will meet with taskmaster Saturn in a harmonious trine, inspiring both creativity and structure.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 27 June 2025
  • Chalfant illustrates this in the film with exquisite subtlety, assuming by turns the disposition of a coy flirt and a take-charge kitchen taskmaster.
    Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Verne purists won’t be pleased, because the tragic aura that surrounded Nemo in the novels doesn’t exactly translate here, and the adaptation’s company story line is so overwhelming while ultimately feeling too rapidly resolved.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 June 2025
  • For purists, this installation may seem closer to commercializing a product than fine art.
    Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stickler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stickler. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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