puritanical
adjective
pu·ri·tan·i·cal
ˌpyu̇r-ə-ˈta-ni-kəl 
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by a rigid morality
2
: puritan
Examples of puritanical in a Sentence
some of the state laws concerning sexual behavior are vestiges of a more puritanical time and are rarely, if ever, enforced
Recent Examples on the Web
Raising the stakes were the injunctions of the Hays Code, whose puritanical rules demanded that studio filmmakers in Hollywood shy away from depictions of interracial romance.
—
Mayukh Sen, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2025
With their charismatic leadership, organizational skills, puritanical ideology, and internal solidarity, HTS and other militant groups were the unintended beneficiaries.
—Fawaz A. Gerges, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2025
By then, America had become a lot less puritanical.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Babygirl tries to deftly waltz over this minefield of a topic without a sense of puritanical judgement or heavy panting, but with as much emphasis on Romy’s need for this transfer of power to tap into her erogenous zones.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puritanical
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.
Mayukh Sen, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2025
With their charismatic leadership, organizational skills, puritanical ideology, and internal solidarity, HTS and other militant groups were the unintended beneficiaries.
—Fawaz A. Gerges, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2025
By then, America had become a lot less puritanical.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Babygirl tries to deftly waltz over this minefield of a topic without a sense of puritanical judgement or heavy panting, but with as much emphasis on Romy’s need for this transfer of power to tap into her erogenous zones.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puritanical
Cite this Entry
“Puritanical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puritanical. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share