perfection
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being or becoming perfect.
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the highest degree of proficiency, skill, or excellence, as in some art.
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a perfect embodiment or example of something.
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a quality, trait, or feature of the highest degree of excellence.
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the highest or most nearly perfect degree of a quality or trait.
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the act or fact of perfecting.
noun
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the act of perfecting or the state or quality of being perfect
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the highest degree of a quality, etc
the perfection of faithfulness
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an embodiment of perfection
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perfection
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Latin perfectiōn-, stem of perfectiō “completion, finishing”; equivalent to perfect + -ion; replacing Middle English perfeccioun, perfectiun, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
Perfection is a flawless state where everything is exactly right. It can also be the action of making something perfect. Since perfect things are without fault or flaw, perfection is a perfect condition — everything is 100% great. Of course, perfection is hard to find. People often use this word as a compliment for something that just couldn’t be better, as in "That red dress matches your red hair to perfection!” Also, if a musician is getting a song down pat, you could say she’s working on the perfection of the song: she’s learning to play it flawlessly.
Vocabulary lists containing perfection
"Imperfect Me"
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"Romeo and Juliet" and "West Side Story"
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James Monroe's First Inaugural Address (1817)
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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.
Those things weren’t important to know in order to be moved by Griffin’s tale of how a lifelong quest for perfection set her mind and body against one another with devastating results.
From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026
Hot IPOs are often priced for perfection, launched into maximum excitement and supported by a limited float that can temporarily distort the share price.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 25, 2026
Having timed his run to perfection, the Crystal Palace wing-back stretched to meet Luis Diaz's deep cross and lift a volley past the goalkeeper.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
"If you are true, that's what you should go after... not perfection."
From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026
Maybe that would mark Jenna’s permanent fall from perfection.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
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.
