Synonyms

legalistic

British

/ ˌliːɡəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

of, relating to, or exhibiting strict adherence to the law, esp to the letter of the law rather than its spirit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

legalistically

adverb

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.

Instead, the justices spent the hearing as they customarily do, engaged in a complex and legalistic discussion about how to analyze ambiguous text and how to weigh historical evidence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The retired brass and veterans organizations added emotionally charged addenda to that legalistic document.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025

He said the amount of compensation being paid out had doubled in the last six months and the government was trying to make the compensation schemes "less legalistic, less adversarial".

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2025

So they’re these very technical and legalistic questions: Is this really meant to include the president?

From Slate • Dec. 26, 2023

Don’t be picky or legalistic as to where its paw actually landed.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

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