perfectionism
Americannoun
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any of various doctrines holding that religious, moral, social, or political perfection is attainable.
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a personal standard, attitude, or philosophy that demands perfection and rejects anything less.
noun
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philosophy the doctrine that man can attain perfection in this life
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the demand for the highest standard of excellence
Etymology
Origin of perfectionism
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; perfection + -ism
Explanation
If you expect everything to be flawless, you're familiar with perfectionism. Your perfectionism means any grade less than 100% makes you feel disappointed. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself! Perfectionism means you have extremely high — even impossible — standards. Your perfectionism might be self-focused, all about setting high goals and being critical of yourself when you don't quite achieve them. Some people hold others to these standard, their perfectionism leading them to expect impeccable work from everyone: "My piano teacher's perfectionism can be stressful. One wrong note and I have to start the whole piece over."
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.
Mr. Domingo is a superb actor, but John Logan’s script essentially reduces him to a snarling menace here, albeit one whose perfectionism built a foundation for global success.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
Legendary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was known for brutal honesty and unyielding perfectionism that led to culture-changing devices.
From Barron's ● Apr. 21, 2026
And as more parents push for perfectionism — to protect their kids from every conceivable threat in a world increasingly filled with them — they can inadvertently cause lasting harm to a child’s mental health.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 2, 2025
"I know perfectionism is an illusion, but I am always trying to chase it," admits 25-year-old Aswan.
From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2025
His perfectionism seemed absolute, even when they took walks to other villages and he insisted on quizzing her about the Latin names of plants they saw.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
