puritanical

[ pyoor-i-tan-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. very strict in moral or religious matters, often excessively so; rigidly austere.
2. Sometimes Puritanical. of, relating to, or characteristic of Puritans or Puritanism.

puritanical

/ ˌpjʊərɪˈtænɪkəl /

adjective

1. derogatory.
   strict in moral or religious outlook, esp in shunning sensual pleasures
2. sometimes capital of or relating to a puritan or the Puritans

Derived Forms

• ˌpuriˈtanically, adverb
• ˌpuriˈtanicalness, noun

Other Words From

• puri·tani·cal·ly adverb
• puri·tani·cal·ness noun
• unpu·ri·tanic adjective
• unpu·ri·tani·cal adjective
• unpu·ri·tani·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of puritanical¹

First recorded in 1600–10; Puritan + -ical

Example Sentences

After the complete failure and repeal of alcohol prohibition in 1933, America’s puritanical conservatives and government agencies set their sights on drugs.

From Time

His distaste derives from a basic confusion in the position of the puritanical prescriptivist.

From The Daily Beast

Pope Paul VI and the Church at that time could be forgiven for puritanical idealism.

From The Daily Beast

So, people sped by the models less out of puritanical deference to the naked bodies, but to keep up their steely reputations.

From The Daily Beast

Maybe not such a huge problem for the puritanical but sometime very practical mullahs.

From The Daily Beast

Saudi society and government are intricately intertwined with a puritanical flavor of Islam, Wahhabism.

From The Daily Beast

The puritanical party was by far the fewer in numbers, for which two excellent reasons might be given.

From Project Gutenberg

But at the time about which we are writing there was in Boston a distinguished family of puritanical ministers named Mather.

From Project Gutenberg

His preaching was plain, scriptural, and experimental, in the good old puritanical strain.

From Project Gutenberg

In contrast to his predecessor he connived at some irregularities of discipline in the Puritanical clergy.

From Project Gutenberg

There was in society, though it was not strait-laced or puritanical, a general standard of "good form."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• prudish
• rigid