perfectionism

American  

[per-fek-shuh-niz-uhm] / pərˈfɛk ʃəˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. any of various doctrines holding that religious, moral, social, or political perfection is attainable.

2. a personal standard, attitude, or philosophy that demands perfection and rejects anything less.

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perfectionism British  

/ pəˈfɛkʃəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. philosophy the doctrine that man can attain perfection in this life

2. the demand for the highest standard of excellence

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Etymology

Origin of perfectionism

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; perfection + -ism

Example Sentences

“I work with a lot of high-power, girl-boss types, eldest daughters who are running themselves into the ground, struggling with perfectionism. So my focus is on helping folks recover from perfectionism,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

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

The singer said she suspects she’ll be battling that toxic perfectionism for the rest of her life, but she’s gotten better at banishing it to the backseat.

From Los Angeles Times

"I know perfectionism is an illusion, but I am always trying to chase it," admits 25-year-old Aswan.

From BBC

Rockstar has form for delaying its games and a reputation for perfectionism, with its previous big release - Red Dead Redemption 2 - delayed by roughly a year from its original release date.

From BBC