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
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
As a protocol officer for Mr. Xi, Mr. Qin was exhaustively punctilious, said Pavel Slunkin, who was a Belarusian diplomat involved in arranging a visit by Mr. Xi to Belarus in 2015.
—David Pierson, New York Times, 26 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
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
As a protocol officer for Mr. Xi, Mr. Qin was exhaustively punctilious, said Pavel Slunkin, who was a Belarusian diplomat involved in arranging a visit by Mr. Xi to Belarus in 2015.
—David Pierson, New York Times, 26 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for punctilious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctilious
Adjective
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Having a formal parenting plan in place is a good idea for multiple reasons.—
Jann Blackstone,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2025
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Turkey’s membership in the NATO alliance, which entails a formal commitment to democracy and to the integrity of borders, did not stand in Erdogan’s way.—
Michael Kimmage,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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At home, the atmosphere was decorous, curious, gentle; outside, the culture of the nineteen-fifties was tougher, valorizing war and papering over a darker, more furtive kind of violence.—
Joshua Rothman,
The New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2025
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Aside from a series of gruesome martyr scenes frescoed on the interior wall of the second ring in the late 16th century, the décor reflects late Imperial taste for decorous abstraction and costly materials.—
David Laskin,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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If polling is correct, the tiny Die Linke party, on the far left, seems likely to make it.—
Christopher F. Schuetze,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
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Ferguson’s instincts were correct, for the first hour at least.—
Mark Critchley,
The Athletic,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The ceremony sets the stage for each day’s contests and activities which include a ceremonious entrance led by a Native American veteran color guard, visiting dignitaries and tribal royalty, followed by dancers of all ages.—
Staff Reports,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
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Roberts began the process while Melania was still finalizing her position, which may have disrupted the ceremonious act.—
Lizzie Hyman,
People.com,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Devonte Ross, who surpassed 1,000 yards at Troy in 2024, and Kyron Hudson, who had some nice moments at USC but was never one of the top receivers on the team in four seasons.—
Antonio Morales,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
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In the Jungfrau Ski Region skiers get the perfect mix of easy and challenging slopes, nice mountain hut restaurants and aprés ski on the downhill runs and in Grindelwald Terminal.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But Saya gives us a proper introduction with her first full-length record.—
Gabrielle Macafee,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2025
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The glasses have removable temples that can be swapped out for an elastic band, as well as a rubberized nose pad and anti-grip temple tips to ensure a proper fit.—
Layla Ilchi,
WWD,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displayed images of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, during an address at a combat officers' graduation ceremony on Sunday, delivering a solemn message.—
Danielle Wallace,
Fox News,
23 Feb. 2025
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Language experts were consulted, solemn arguments had, brows were furrowed, everyone treated the whole thing awfully seriously.—
Nick Miller,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to punctilious
Cite this Entry
“Punctilious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctilious. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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