ritualistic

adjective

rit·​u·​al·​is·​tic ˌri-chə-wə-ˈli-stik 

-chə-ˈli-;

ˌrich-wə-

1

: of, in accordance with, or characterized by the use of ritual: such as

a

: relating to or done as a ceremony or rite

a ritualistic dance

For Rick, the clincher came in 2001, when he discovered 20 identical trumpets, made from a type of conch shell … . The trumpets were highly decorated, indicating a ritualistic use.

—Michael Brooks

Ritualistic language (such as the oyez, oyez, oyez or hear ye, hear ye, hear ye that opens a court session) separates legal proceedings from ordinary life, marking them as being special and important.

—Peter Tiersma

b

: done in accordance with social custom or normal protocol

Bush made the ritualistic visits to polling places, making a last-minute bid for support in this intense and important contest.

—Jeanne Meserve

c

: of, relating to, or being an act or series of acts regularly repeated in a set precise manner

The repetitive nature of online tasks—checking e-mail, searching for data, sending replies—has a soothing, ritualistic quality … .

—Maia Szalavitz

2

: stressing the use of ritual forms : adhering to or devoted to ritualism

We can look at Stonehenge not only to envision the ancient, ritualistic people who built it, but also to imagine a version of ourselves closer to nature … according to Wisser.

—Jed Oelbaum

ritualistically

ˌri-chə-wə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

-chə-ˈli-;

ˌrich-wə-

adverb

Examples of ritualistic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The ritualistic nature of makeup or skincare routines, mindfulness meditations, and prioritizing nutrition and rest are all ways to feed into ourselves during trying times. —Essence, 4 Nov. 2024

Though writing remained a ritualistic practice, and its mechanisms sometimes mystical, the desk no longer doubled as an altar at which the author worshiped. —Alison Habens, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2024

Blending natural surroundings with therapeutic practices, Sana’s design evokes the sacred cenotes of the Yucatán, where Mayan communities would gather for ritualistic healing. —Caroline Tell, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

In a previous defense filing obtained by Fox 59 and the Star, Allen’s attorneys claimed there was evidence of a ritualistic killing. —Liam Quinn, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1