puritanism
noun
pu·ri·tan·ism
| \ ˈpyu̇r-ə-tᵊn-ˌi-zəm
\
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Definition of puritanism
1
capitalized
: the beliefs and practices characteristic of the Puritans
2
: strictness and austerity especially in matters of religion or conduct
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Synonyms for puritanism
Synonyms
moralism, nice-nellyism, prudery, prudishness
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Examples of puritanism in a Sentence
the Victorian era was often characterized by a hypocritical puritanism
Recent Examples on the Web
Oil wealth has hidden a woefully unproductive economy, and fuelled Islamic ultra-puritanism around the world. — The Economist, "How to ensure Muhammad bin Salman’s reforms succeed," 23 June 2018 That relationship allowed investigators to paint Muck as both subversive and immoral—a one-two punch of xenophobia and puritanism. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, "The “Star-Spangled Banner” Controversy That Altered the Course of American Music," 2 July 2019 Which brings us to the party that really pays for the new puritanism: the arts consumer. — Lionel Shriver, Harper's magazine, "Cruel and Unusual Punishment," 10 Feb. 2019 The stigma is part of a creeping puritanism that has stifled the arts in Egypt in recent decades. — Declan Walsh, New York Times, "Foreign Belly Dancers? Egyptians Shake Their Heads (and Hips)," 8 July 2018 There is a certain amount of puritanism that exists in the United States. — Ceylan Yeginsu, New York Times, "Benetton ‘Migrants’ Ads Draw Outrage for Using Photos of Real Migrants," 21 June 2018 As a result, indie rock’s penchant for puritanism and subcultural snobbery was dwindling, and authenticity was beginning to be privileged over obscurity. — Emma Madden, Billboard, "How The Yeah Yeahs' 'Maps' Helped Change the Way We View the Relationship Between Pop and Indie," 26 Apr. 2018 Season One established a fallen version of America, explaining that the country collapsed following a rapid decline in fertility rates, which prompted the rise of a totalitarian government founded on puritanism and misogyny. — Emma Dibdin, Esquire, "Everything We Know About The Handmaid's Tale Season Two Right Now," 22 Feb. 2018 But the party’s puritanism is at odds with the tastes of young Chinese. — The Economist, "Rappers’ knuckles rappedWhy hip-hop scares the Chinese Communist Party," 25 Jan. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'puritanism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for puritanism
puritanism
noun
English Language Learners Definition of puritanism
: the beliefs and practices of Puritans
often disapproving
: the beliefs and practices of people who follow very strict moral and religious rules about the proper way to behave and live
See the full definition for puritanism in the English Language Learners Dictionary