methodical
Americanadjective
-
performed, disposed, or acting in a systematic way; systematic; orderly.
a methodical person.
-
painstaking, especially slow and careful; deliberate.
adjective
Synonym Usage
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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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.
Lord Mann, the UK government's independent adviser on antisemitism, called for a "clear, calm and methodical" approach to tackling anti-Jewish hatred, warning that governments which avoidede their responsibilities contributed to the problem.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Institutional rules and norms, on the other hand, give bishops incentives to be methodical and cautious.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
U.S. military commanders had submitted recommendations on how the reduction might be carried out and the expectation was that a methodical process for adjusting the American force posture would be put in place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
“We don’t know if it’s going to conclude today, as I mentioned, it’s a methodical step each each time we get something, we go in another direction. We get something, we pursue that,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026
Jasper’s voice was calm, methodical, as he questioned her in a practiced way.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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.
