strait-laced

Or straight-laced

[streyt-leyst]

adjective

1. excessively strict in conduct or morality; puritanical; prudish.

   strait-laced censors.

2. tightly laced, as a bodice.

3. wearing tightly laced garments.

strait-laced

adjective

1. prudish or puritanical

Other Word Forms

• strait-lacedly adverb
• strait-lacedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of strait-laced¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

In an interview 25 years ago with the German newspaper Tagesspiegel he laid claim to a wilder youth than his strait-laced CV might suggest.

From BBC

That article traced her journey from childhood as a male in New York’s strait-laced Westchester County to her decision to transition.

From Los Angeles Times

But the very existence of the film, which is loosely based on a seemingly strait-laced community college instructor who moonlighted as a fake assassin for the Houston police, proves just how much they fascinate us.

From New York Times

Singapore was once known as an affluent and strait-laced city-state.

From New York Times

At the center of the show was the relationship between Richie and Fonzie, the strait-laced kid and the guy with the jacket.

From New York Times