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

The fandom is intense and ritualistic, with celebratory first-day screenings, midnight and 04:00 shows, milk offerings on towering cut-outs, garlands, drums, and whistles.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 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

Though Meredith and the Stones are similarly ritualistic, Everett’s new girlfriend’s rigidity rubs against the Stones’ adaptable attitudes.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2025

Jim Don had disappeared to the toilet for his ritualistic pre-game excretion.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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