puritanical
adjective
pu·ri·tan·i·cal
ˌpyu̇r-ə-ˈta-ni-kəl 
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by a rigid morality
2
: puritan
Examples of puritanical in a Sentence
some of the state laws concerning sexual behavior are vestiges of a more puritanical time and are rarely, if ever, enforced
Recent Examples on the Web
Wisconsinites are also distinguished by their puritanical work ethic.
—
Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
First, the movement of women telling their stories of victimization online was dismissed by many as a toxic importation of puritanical American mores that were unnecessary in a culture of seduction and harmony between the sexes.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Over the past few years, generational warfare has only ramped up—so much so that it’s become boring to even reference: Gen Z hating on millennials for being cringe, millennials hating on Gen Z for being puritanical, and everyone hating on boomers for being, well, boomers.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 3 May 2025
His subject, Nandy told me, exhibited all the traits of an authoritarian personality: puritanical rigidity, a constricted emotional life, fear of his own passions, and an enormous ego that protected a gnawing insecurity.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puritanical
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Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
First, the movement of women telling their stories of victimization online was dismissed by many as a toxic importation of puritanical American mores that were unnecessary in a culture of seduction and harmony between the sexes.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Over the past few years, generational warfare has only ramped up—so much so that it’s become boring to even reference: Gen Z hating on millennials for being cringe, millennials hating on Gen Z for being puritanical, and everyone hating on boomers for being, well, boomers.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 3 May 2025
His subject, Nandy told me, exhibited all the traits of an authoritarian personality: puritanical rigidity, a constricted emotional life, fear of his own passions, and an enormous ego that protected a gnawing insecurity.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puritanical
Cite this Entry
“Puritanical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puritanical. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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