methodical
Americanadjective
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performed, disposed, or acting in a systematic way; systematic; orderly.
a methodical person.
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painstaking, especially slow and careful; deliberate.
adjective
Related Words
See orderly.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of methodical
First recorded in 1560–70; methodic, from Latin methodic(us) or directly from Greek methodikós; see method, -ic + -al 1
Explanation
Methodical means following a method. If you follow the same sixteen steps in the same order when you make a fire, you could be said to take a methodical approach to this activity. The idea of moving slowly and orderly through a process can at times be dismissed as bureaucratic or obsessive, but when you use the word methodical to describe it, chances are you think that it's good to follow a method. The only thing missing from a methodical approach is inspiration — dancers shouldn't be too methodical; engineers should.
Vocabulary lists containing methodical
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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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 merits docket – the ordinary process – is methodical.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
The approach at Blue Origin, which Bezos founded in 2000, has been much more methodical.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
This requires methodical, thoughtful action on the part of policymakers.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026
Samson toppled the pillars of the West Indies bowling attack in a methodical manner - expertly picking his moments to attack and increase the tempo of the chase with ruthless calculation.
From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026
The man Jack was methodical, and he began to plan his next move—the calls he would need to pay on certain of the townsfolk, people who would be his eyes and ears in the town.
From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
