You describe someone as a puritan when they live according to strict moral or religious principles, especially when they disapprove of physical pleasures.
[disapproval]
Bykov had forgotten that Malinin was something of a puritan.
As for the subjects that so enrage puritans, they will continue to form the focusof her work.
Synonyms: moralist, fanatic, zealot, prude More Synonyms of puritan
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Puritan attitudes are based on strict moral or religious principles and often involve disapproval of physical pleasures.
[disapproval]
Paul was someone who certainly had a puritan streak in him.
...puritan self-denial.
Synonyms: strict, austere, puritanical, narrow More Synonyms of puritan
Puritan
Word forms: plural Puritans
countable noun
The Puritans were a group of English Protestants in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries who lived in a very strict and religious way.
puritan in British English
(ˈpjʊərɪtən)
noun
1.
a person who adheres to strict moral or religious principles, esp one opposed to luxury and sensual enjoyment
adjective
2.
characteristic of a puritan
Derived forms
puritanism (ˈpuritanˌism)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Late Latin pūritāspurity
Puritan in British English(in the late 16th and 17th centuries)
(ˈpjʊərɪtən)
noun
1.
any of the more extreme English Protestants, most of whom were Calvinists, who wished to purify the Church of England of most of its ceremony and other aspects that they deemed to be Catholic
adjective
2.
of, characteristic of, or relating to the Puritans
Derived forms
Puritanism (ˈPuritanˌism)
noun
Puritan in American English
(ˈpjʊrɪtən)
noun
1.
any member of a Protestant group in England and the American colonies that in the 16th and 17th cent., wanted to make the Church of England simpler in its services and stricter about morals
2. [p-]
a person regarded as excessively strict in morals and religion
adjective
3.
of the Puritans or Puritanism
4. [p-]
puritanical
Derived forms
Puritanism (ˈPuritanˌism)
noun or ˈpuritanˌism
Word origin
< LL puritas (see purity) + -an
Examples of 'puritan' in a sentence
puritan
Yet Paul, he thought, was someone who certainly had a puritan streak in him.
Ferrars, Elizabeth UNREASONABLE DOUBT
Word lists with
puritan
Furniture styles
In other languages
puritan
British English: puritan NOUN
You describe someone as a puritan when they live according to strict moral or religious principles, especially when they disapprove of physical pleasures.
He had forgotten that she was something of a puritan.
American English: puritan
Brazilian Portuguese: puritano
Chinese: > 清教徒式的人生活上严格遵守道德或宗教准则、尤指反对物质享受的
European Spanish: puritano
French: puritain
German: Puritaner
Italian: puritano
Japanese: 厳格主義者
Korean: 청교도
European Portuguese: puritano
Latin American Spanish: puritano
British English: puritan ADJECTIVE
Puritan attitudes are based on strict moral or religious principles and often involve disapproval of physical pleasures.
He was someone who certainly had a puritan streak in him.
American English: puritan
Brazilian Portuguese: puritano
Chinese: > 清教徒式的生活上严格遵守道德或宗教准则、尤指反对物质享受的
European Spanish: puritano
French: puritain
German: puritanisch
Italian: puritano
Japanese: 厳格主義者の
Korean: 청교도의
European Portuguese: puritano
Latin American Spanish: puritano
(noun)
Definition
a person who follows strict moral or religious principles
He delighted in dealing with subjects that enraged puritans.
Synonyms
moralist
fanatic
I am not a religious fanatic but I am a Christian.
zealot
He was forceful but by no means a zealot.
prude
I'm no prude but I've never heard such filth.
pietist
rigorist
(adjective)
Definition
of or like a puritan
Paul has always had a puritan streak.
Synonyms
strict
French privacy laws are very strict.
austere
The life of the troops was comparatively austere.
puritanical
He has a puritanical attitude towards sex.
narrow
a narrow and outdated view of family life
severe
This was a dreadful crime and a severe sentence is necessary.
intolerant
intolerant attitudes towards non-Catholics
ascetic
priests practising an ascetic life
narrow-minded
He's just a narrow-minded bigot.
moralistic
prudish
His novels are not for prudish readers.
hidebound
The men are hidebound and reactionary.
strait-laced
He was criticized for being boring, strait-laced and narrow-minded.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ascetic
Definition
rigidly abstinent and self-denying
priests practising an ascetic life
Synonyms
self-denying,
severe,
plain,
harsh,
stern,
rigorous,
austere,
Spartan,
self-disciplined,
celibate,
puritanical,
frugal,
abstemious,
abstinent
in the sense of austere
Definition
self-disciplined or ascetic
The life of the troops was comparatively austere.
Synonyms
ascetic,
strict,
continent,
exacting,
rigid,
sober,
economical,
solemn,
Spartan,
unrelenting,
self-disciplined,
puritanical,
chaste,
strait-laced,
abstemious,
self-denying,
abstinent
in the sense of fanatic
Definition
a person devoted to a particular hobby or pastime
I am not a religious fanatic but I am a Christian.
Synonyms
extremist,
activist,
militant,
addict,
enthusiast,
buff (informal),
visionary,
devotee,
bigot,
zealot,
energumen (archaic)
Nearby words of
puritan
purge
purify
purist
puritan
puritanical
puritanism
purity
Synonyms of 'puritan'
puritan
Explore 'puritan' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of hidebound
Definition
restricted by petty rules and unwilling to accept new ideas
The men are hidebound and reactionary.
Synonyms
conventional,
set,
rigid,
narrow,
puritan,
narrow-minded,
strait-laced,
brassbound,
ultraconservative,
set in your ways
in the sense of intolerant
Definition
refusing to accept practices and beliefs that differ from one's own
intolerant attitudes towards non-Catholics
Synonyms
narrow-minded,
prejudiced,
bigoted,
narrow,
racist,
one-sided,
fanatical,
dictatorial,
dogmatic,
xenophobic,
chauvinistic,
small-minded,
illiberal,
uncharitable,
racialist
in the sense of narrow
Definition
limited in range, extent, or outlook
a narrow and outdated view of family life
Synonyms
insular,
prejudiced,
biased,
partial,
reactionary,
puritan,
bigoted,
dogmatic,
intolerant,
narrow-minded,
small-minded,
illiberal
in the sense of narrow-minded
Definition
bigoted, intolerant, or prejudiced
He's just a narrow-minded bigot.
Synonyms
intolerant,
conservative,
prejudiced,
biased,
provincial,
petty,
reactionary,
parochial,
short-sighted,
bigoted,
insular,
opinionated,
small-minded,
hidebound,
illiberal,
strait-laced
in the sense of prude
Definition
a person who is excessively modest or prim, esp. regarding sex
I'm no prude but I've never heard such filth.
Synonyms
prig,
puritan,
Grundy,
goody-goody (informal),
old maid (informal),
stuffed shirt (informal),
schoolmarm (British, informal),
Holy Joe (informal),
Holy Willie (informal)
in the sense of prudish
His novels are not for prudish readers.
Synonyms
prim,
formal,
proper,
stuffy,
puritanical,
demure,
squeamish,
narrow-minded,
starchy (informal),
prissy (informal),
strait-laced,
Victorian,
priggish,
schoolmarmish (British, informal),
old-maidish (informal),
niminy-piminy,
overmodest,
overnice
in the sense of puritanical
Definition
strict in moral or religious outlook
He has a puritanical attitude towards sex.
Synonyms
strict,
forbidding,
puritan,
stuffy,
narrow,
severe,
proper,
stiff,
rigid,
disapproving,
austere,
fanatical,
bigoted,
prim,
ascetic,
narrow-minded,
prudish,
strait-laced
in the sense of severe
Definition
strict or harsh in the treatment of others
This was a dreadful crime and a severe sentence is necessary.
Synonyms
strict,
hard,
harsh,
cruel,
rigid,
relentless,
drastic,
oppressive,
austere,
Draconian,
unrelenting,
inexorable,
pitiless,
unbending,
iron-handed
in the sense of strait-laced
Definition
having a strict code of moral standards
He was criticized for being boring, strait-laced and narrow-minded.