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View synonyms for puritanical

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˌpuriˈtanicalness, noun
  • ˌpuriˈtanically, adverb
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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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of puritanical1

First recorded in 1600–10; Puritan + -ical
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Example Sentences

Before each performance, the scene is set by a narrator who speaks in a prim, puritanical accent reminiscent of a bygone era.

One expert who analysed Edwards said he grew up in a puritanical but hypocritical environment with a father described in court as “monstrous”.

From BBC

The Jesus Fellowship Church, which disbanded in 2019 after the BBC revealed allegations of widespread child abuse, recruited thousands of people to live in close-knit, puritanical communities in Northamptonshire, London and the Midlands.

From BBC

The problem for Trump is that "fun" misogyny is hard to square with abortion bans, which stem from a more puritanical sexism, one which seeks to constrain the sexual expression of both men and women.

From Salon

Just imagine a split screen with the dour, puritanical face of House Speaker Mike Johnson on one side and ATL rapper Lil Jon blasting “Turn Down for What” on the other.

From Salon

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Puritan ethicPuritanism