punctilious
adjective
punc·til·i·ous
ˌpəŋk-ˈti-lē-əs 
: marked by or concerned about precise accordance with the details of codes or conventions
punctiliously
adverb
punctiliousness
noun
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How Should You Use punctilious?
A punctilio is a small point—a minor rule, or a little detail of conduct in a ceremony. A person who pays close attention to such minor details is punctilious. Punctiliousness can be valuable, especially for certain kinds of tasks, as long as you don't become so concerned about small points that you fail to pay attention to the large ones.
Synonyms
Examples of punctilious in a Sentence
She's very punctilious about grammar.
old-money aristocrats with a punctilious sense of propriety
Recent Examples on the Web
If the roles of estate planner, trustee and personal representative for a client by themselves are deemed to be conflicting positions, as suggested by the court’s opinion, then punctilious adherence to the conflict rules regarding sales of financial products or insurance is even more important.
—
Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
But judging asylum claims on this standard has often been an exhaustive, slow and punctilious process, ascertaining the persecutor’s intent, verifying the claimant’s beliefs or identity at the root of the persecution and so on.
—Bill Frelick, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024
Saban was different from Carroll, more punctilious but no less competitive or curious about defenses, with an unusually keen eye for identifying talent.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2024
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
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Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
But judging asylum claims on this standard has often been an exhaustive, slow and punctilious process, ascertaining the persecutor’s intent, verifying the claimant’s beliefs or identity at the root of the persecution and so on.
—Bill Frelick, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024
Saban was different from Carroll, more punctilious but no less competitive or curious about defenses, with an unusually keen eye for identifying talent.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for punctilious
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Cite this Entry
“Punctilious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctilious. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
punctilious
adjective
punc·til·i·ous
ˌpəŋ(k)-ˈtil-ē-əs
: following exactly the details of proper ways of behaving
punctiliously
adverb
punctiliousness
noun
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