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Synonyms

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.

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of perfectionism

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

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.