ritualistic

British

/ ˌrɪtjʊəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

of, relating to, or suggestive of ritualism

"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

ritualistically 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.

Marked by its stark staging and ritualistic intensity, the work remains one of the most enduring interpretations of Ravel's best-known work and continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Esperanza makes an altar on the vanity and prepares the space for chanting, a prayer meeting but more unapologetic, ritualistic and communal.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

During Tutankhamun's lifetime, for instance, people in Crete were linked to the so-called "poppy goddess" in clearly ritualistic settings.

From Science Daily • Dec. 18, 2025

Some protests took on almost ritualistic qualities: cans of New Coke were dumped into sewers, a vivid testament to how deeply, and theatrically, people could commit to a product they loved.

From Salon • Aug. 28, 2025

There was a moment of silence that again struck me as ritualistic, almost reverent.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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