Synonyms of meticulous

meticulous

adjective

mə-ˈti-kyə-ləs 

as in careful

taking, showing, or involving great care and effort

did a meticulous job of restoring the painting

Synonyms & Similar Words

• careful
• conscientious
• loving
• diligent
• thorough
• painstaking
• scrupulous
• cautious
• intensive
• thoughtful
• patient
• assiduous
• fussy
• strict
• particular
• indefatigable
• watchful
• exhaustive
• vigilant
• attentive
• thoroughgoing
• accurate
• deliberate
• fastidious
• precise
• mindful
• circumspect
• critical
• observant
• finicky
• wary
• sedulous
• exacting
• slow
• persevering
• zealous
• tireless
• chary
• discriminating
• tenacious
• guarded
• demanding
• alert
• heedful
• exact
• determined
• studied
• dogged
• plodding
• gingerly
• all-out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• careless
• cursory
• regardless
• negligent
• halfhearted
• heedless
• slipshod
• sloppy
• inattentive
• lax
• mindless
• unsafe
• slovenly
• incautious
• neglectful
• imprecise
• unguarded
• unwary
• inaccurate
• uncritical
• reckless
• bold
• impetuous
• undiscriminating
• undemanding
• lazy
• indifferent
• lackadaisical
• rash
• apathetic
• lazyish

Synonym Chooser

How is the word meticulous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of meticulous are careful, punctilious, and scrupulous. While all these words mean "showing close attention to detail," meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points.

meticulous scholarship

When can careful be used instead of meticulous?

The words careful and meticulous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes.

a careful worker

When would punctilious be a good substitute for meticulous?

The meanings of punctilious and meticulous largely overlap; however, punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points.

punctilious observance of ritual

In what contexts can scrupulous take the place of meticulous?

In some situations, the words scrupulous and meticulous are roughly equivalent. However, scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical.

scrupulous honesty

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of meticulous

The Elemental Pendant Blue embodies the essence of Clara Chehab through its balance of raw and refined beauty, celebrating the stone’s natural individuality while elevating it with meticulous craftsmanship and diamonds. —Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 27 May 2026

Hayes is meticulous about players’ individual development and might desire Jackson’s exposure to older USWNT midfielders like Heaps and Lavelle for this camp. —Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Decades of meticulous research, the most prominent by the Harvard sociologist Robert Sampson in Chicago, shows how the rhythms of city life and a web of loose connections—a familiar face on the bus, a neighbor at the laundromat—can spur a sense of mutual obligation and enforce social constraint. —Elizabeth Glazer, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026

Following a meticulous restoration, its Art Deco soul remains intact, a distinction further affirmed by its Michelin Key. —William Jones, USA Today, 18 May 2026

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