How to Use perfectionism in a Sentence

perfectionism

noun
  • Time, his own perfectionism, and the reactions of a bunch of strangers off the street.
    Darryn King, Wired, 10 June 2020
  • And there are plenty of those in the perfectionism camp.
    Thomas Curran, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
  • For most of her life, Jane saw her perfectionism as a crutch.
    Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2023
  • But Sprouse's perfectionism grants a gift to those who view his work.
    The Indianapolis Star, 15 July 2022
  • The good news is that perfectionism is not an intractable trait.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Jan. 2023
  • That perfectionism accounts for the long wait for the new album.
    Joe Lynch, Billboard, 21 May 2018
  • But to carve a path, like Ms. Fleming, a chef needs two things that cannot be taught: a great palate and a deranged sense of perfectionism.
    Julia Moskin, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2019
  • But at the same time, there’s a lot of hyper perfectionism going on.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022
  • Some of his perfectionism traces back to a sense of being an outsider.
    Time, 21 July 2023
  • Some have found fault with his pessimism, his perfectionism, the languorous pace of his films.
    Yasmine Seale, Harpers Magazine, 5 Jan. 2021
  • This is not a time for perfectionism, but rather survival.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Dec. 2020
  • What are your strategies for taking out that fear of failure and a need for perfectionism?
    Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 7 Nov. 2022
  • For many years now young adults have been struggling with perfectionism.
    Tess Brigham, Forbes, 2 June 2021
  • That perfectionism is applied both in their own lives and in their judgment of others.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 26 Aug. 2023
  • Virgos are known for their perfectionism–no detail is too small for this earth sign.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2021
  • Looking at the map of her life, Paulson traces the origin of her perfectionism to her upbringing.
    Roxane Gay, Harper's BAZAAR, 22 Sep. 2020
  • That’s how this crazy cycle of perfectionism continues to exist in a lot of us.
    Mary Colurso | McOlurso@al.com, al, 31 Oct. 2019
  • Are those thoughts rooted in perfectionism, a fear of failure, a need to control or something else?
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
  • But the quest for perfectionism can have harmful side effects.
    Laura Newberrystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2022
  • Challenging this perfectionism can come later on down the line, but as a first step, start to tune in to it and increase that level of awareness.
    Carrie Kerpen, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2021
  • One of the biggest ways to show ourselves more grace and empathy is to release perfectionism.
    Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 19 July 2024
  • Many parents might turn to therapy to locate the roots of their perfectionism.
    Gail Cornwall, The Atlantic, 19 July 2021
  • Virgos can be a bit nitpicky due to their perfectionism.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2022
  • This finale suggests a mawkish yet useful fact: that the cure for perfectionism is love.
    Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2020
  • Patient, time-consuming perfectionism isn't his thing, and songs that dare to be three minutes long bore him.
    Piet Levy, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2024
  • The main thing is that most people carry around a kind of stone backpack of perfectionism and doubt about their writing ability.
    Amanda Gokee, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2023
  • Like the film, the global church and its members must address patriarchy and perfectionism.
    Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
  • Those are some of the same personality traits that drive perfectionism, and can show up in low achievers and high achievers alike.
    Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2021
  • During the conversation, Oster-Daum shared key learnings from her own career including a struggle with perfectionism.
    Fairchild Studio, WWD, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Her arrival also explains a lot about Claire’s perfectionism and Mitchell’s people-pleasing, as DeDe methodically pushes her children’s buttons with enviable skill.
    Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perfectionism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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