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GRE vocabulary

punctilious

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore P words

showing great attention to detail or correct behavior

Word origin: From Italian puntiglio, a fine point, from Latin punctum, a point.

In a sentence

Punctilious in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing punctilious in a sentence.

He was punctilious about returning every email within the hour.

The archivist was punctilious about citation, recording every shelf mark and folio number.

Usage & nuance

Using “punctilious” well

Punctilious means scrupulously attentive to fine points of form or conduct. Unlike pedantic, it is not necessarily a criticism.

Common questions

Questions about “punctilious

Punctilious (adjective) means showing great attention to detail or correct behavior
Here is punctilious used in an example sentence: "He was punctilious about returning every email within the hour." Another example: "The archivist was punctilious about citation, recording every shelf mark and folio number."
Common synonyms for punctilious include meticulous, scrupulous, fastidious, exacting.
Antonyms of punctilious include careless, lax, negligent.
On the GRE, punctilious clusters with meticulous, scrupulous, fastidious, and exacting, opposing careless, lax, and negligent.
Yes. Punctilious is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

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