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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Switzerland and Serbia are willing to host this, but the Kremlin is waiting until after the Republican's inauguration before formal plans can take place.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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Trump said Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance urged him to keep the controversial topics out of his formal inaugural address.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 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 the bookmakers are correct, Makhachev will end 2025 with the UFC title in his hands.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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His administration's efforts to characterize inflation as 'temporary' or 'transitory' in 2021 may have been technically correct, in the sense that the rate of inflation has come down from its heights following the pandemic.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The vice president’s role in officiating the Electoral College count before Congress — the final step in the election process before a president takes the White House — was known for many cycles as one that was mostly uneventful and largely ceremonious.—
Alex Gangitano,
The Hill,
6 Jan. 2025
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The chief and Kayce seal the deal with a ceremonious blood pact.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The Nintendo Switch Lite was a great way to play Switch games on a smaller device, and the Nintendo Switch OLED added a beautiful display and a handful of other nice upgrades.—
Jay Peters,
The Verge,
16 Jan. 2025
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The engagement is certainly a nice break from the recent drama in Pats land - after New England’s season finale, the team fired first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, a move that has been heavily criticized by ex-Patriots.—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Reacting to the decision by the Trump administration to close the U.S. visa section of the embassy in Colombia, Petro said there are thousands of Americans living in Colombia without proper documentation.—
Sonia Osorio,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
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The show leaves us with the reminder that without proper investment in healthcare infrastructure, even the most skilled medical teams can be hindered in their efforts to save lives.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
TIME,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Standing in front of the CIA Memorial Wall—the agency’s most important and solemn location—Trump offered remarks that resembled a campaign event, rambling from one random topic to another, including how big the crowds were at his inauguration.—
Peter Schroeder,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Jan. 2025
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Seated beside the President-elect, who donned a dark suit and royal blue tie, Melania Trump appeared noticeably solemn.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
WWD,
9 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Punctilious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctilious. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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