perfectionist

American

[per-fek-shuh-nist] / pərˈfɛk ʃə nɪst /

noun

a person who adheres to or believes in perfectionism.
a person who demands perfection of himself, herself, or others.

adjective

of, relating to, or distinguished by perfection or perfectionism.

Other Word Forms

perfectionistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of perfectionist

First recorded in 1650–60; perfection + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The notoriously perfectionist developer has a history of holding on to its blockbusters until it's happy with them, so the news wasn't a complete surprise.

From BBC

He described Isak as a perfectionist in both business and personal matters.

From The Wall Street Journal

He was a fretful perfectionist who would endlessly rehearse; Anne was naturally funny; she flowed.

From Los Angeles Times

One person hemmed in by perfectionist anxiety was invited to sing with an off-key Masli.

From Los Angeles Times

If that makes her sound like an obsessive perfectionist, think again.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023