straitlaced

adjective

ˈstrāt-ˈlāst How to pronounce straitlaced (audio)
variants or straightlaced
Definition of straitlacednext
as in puritanical
given to or marked by very conservative standards regarding personal behavior or morals a very straitlaced old lady who believed that cleavage was something that should be shown by rock crystals, not respectable women

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of straitlaced Referencing hobbies, especially more niche ones, might be frowned upon in more straitlaced sectors but may help your case in a more creative industry. — Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026 The show found its humor in contrasting the more straitlaced nature of the teens with Moore’s unique and occasionally off-the-wall, free-spirited advice. — James Mercadante, EW.com, 6 May 2025 Love focuses on two colleagues at an Oslo hospital — Marianne, a straight (and straitlaced) doctor, and Tor, a gay male nurse. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 June 2025 Six decades after the fact, even a straitlaced researcher such as myself can still wonder about a thing or two—an ex-CIA guy here, a Cuban paramilitary group there. — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for straitlaced
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitlaced
  1. puritanical
  2. Victorian
  3. prudish
Adjective
  • She’s been attacked, her puritanical sister has landed from America, and murder is starting to feel less like a paranoid theory than a reasonable working assumption.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 June 2026
  • Perhaps because of its puritanical roots, any place that serves alcohol in Boston also has to have a full menu—so there aren’t straight-up bars here or anywhere else.
    — Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026
Definition of puritanical
Adjective
  • The Sherlock Holmes series adds a touch of Victorian charm with rich wood paneling, brass accents, and cozy reading nooks perfect for sleuthing through your own novels.
    — Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2025
  • In the 2001 episode shot above Times Square, the poet Michael Stipe sits regal in a Victorian skirt and peppers Automatic for the People and Reveal songs with a rant about George Bush’s nuclear energy policy.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 22 Aug. 2025
Definition of Victorian
Adjective
  • Cross-dressing was prohibited, as were speeches that mocked or questioned the party’s prudish, pro-family, heteronormative views on gender and sexuality; traditional German culture was to be celebrated, not mocked.
    — Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Statistics like these have become part of a discussion about whether the culture is growing prudish and puritanical.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Definition of prudish

Browse Nearby Words

straitjackets
straitlaced
straits
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Cite this Entry

“Straitlaced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitlaced. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on straitlaced

Nglish: Translation of straitlaced for Spanish Speakers

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