Synonyms for strict
- adjective
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Stringent — severe in discipline
stringent, austere, severe, stern, harsh, draconian, demanding, tough informal, uncompromising, inflexible, hard, forbidding, bossy, oppressive, hard-handed, spartan, brutal, cruel, dour, unsympathetic, hard-boiled, grim
2. Rigorous — exact; accurate; precise; rigorously particular
rigorous, scrupulous, exact, precise, particular, careful, accurate, conscientious, close, punctilious, meticulous, formal, thorough, religious, correct, fastidious, faithful, dead-on, minute
4. Puritanical — governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous
puritanical, nice dated
Other
rigid, exacting, hard-and-fast, proper, straight-laced, narrow, puritanic, nonindulgent, blue dated
Definitions
- adj. 1
Strained; drawn close; tight.
- adj. 2
Exact; accurate; precise; rigorously particular.
- adj. 3
Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.
they are very strict in observing the Sabbath
- adj. 4
Severe in discipline.
It was a very strict lesson.
Related words
- Word family
- strictly strictness stricture stringent strain
- Phrases
- strict conditional strict implication
Choose the right word
Austere signifies severely simple or temperate, strict in self-restraint or discipline, and similarly unrelenting toward others.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- demanding Opposition politicians are demanding resignations.
- stringent We need to introduce more stringent security measures.
- austere The Wadden Sea is a landscape of austere beauty.
- draconian The laws were draconian, and were quickly repealed.
- rigorous Tom is following a rigorous training regimen.
- scrupulous Tom is scrupulous in matters of business.
By length
- 4 letters
- hard1, nice1, blue1, grim1, taut1, dour2
- 5 letters
- close1, tough1, tight1, exact2, harsh1, cruel2, tense1, stern1, rigid2, bossy2
- 6 letters
- minute2, proper2, severe2, formal2, narrow2, brutal2
- 7 letters
- correct2, careful2, precise2, spartan2, austere2
- 8 letters
- accurate3, faithful2, thorough2, rigorous3, strained1, exacting3
- 9 letters
- religious3, demanding3, stringent2, draconian4, tensioned, puritanic
- 10 letters
- particular4, oppressive3, meticulous4, forbidding3, inflexible4, scrupulous3, fastidious4
- 11 letters
- puritanical5, punctilious4
- 12 letters
- nonindulgent
- 13 letters
- conscientious4, unsympathetic5
- 14 letters
- uncompromising5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (dour2 = 2 syllables).