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

• ceremonious
• correct
• decorous
• formal
• nice
• proper
• starchy
• stiff
• stiff-necked
• stilted

Choose the Right Synonym for punctilious

careful, meticulous, scrupulous, punctilious mean showing close attention to detail.

careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes.

a careful worker

meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points.

meticulous scholarship

scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical.

scrupulous honesty

punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points.

punctilious observance of ritual

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

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Kids 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