strict
Americanadjective
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stricter,
comparative
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strictest
superlative
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characterized by or acting in close conformity to requirements or principles.
a strict observance of rituals.
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stringent or exacting in or in enforcing rules, requirements, obligations, etc..
strict laws; a strict judge.
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closely or rigorously enforced or maintained.
strict silence.
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exact or precise.
a strict statement of facts.
- Synonyms:
- scrupulous, accurate
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extremely defined or conservative; narrowly or carefully limited.
a strict construction of the Constitution.
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close, careful, or minute.
a strict search.
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absolute, perfect, or complete; utmost.
told in strict confidence.
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stern; severe; austere.
strict parents.
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Obsolete. drawn tight or close.
adjective
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adhering closely to specified rules, ordinances, etc
a strict faith
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complied with or enforced stringently; rigorous
a strict code of conduct
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severely correct in attention to rules of conduct or morality
a strict teacher
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(of a punishment, etc) harsh; severe
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(prenominal) complete; absolute
in strict secrecy
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logic maths
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applying more narrowly than some other relation often given the same name, as strict inclusion, which holds only between pairs of sets that are distinct, while simple inclusion permits the case in which they are identical See also proper ordering
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distinguished from a relation of the same name that is not the subject of formal study
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rare botany very straight, narrow, and upright
strict panicles
Synonym Usage
Strict, rigid, rigorous, stringent imply inflexibility, severity, and an exacting quality. Strict implies great exactness, especially in the observance or enforcement of rules: strict discipline. Rigid, literally stiff or unbending, applies to that which is (often unnecessarily or narrowly) inflexible: rigid economy. Rigorous, with the same literal meaning, applies to that which is severe, exacting, and uncompromising, especially in action or application: rigorous self-denial. Stringent applies to that which is vigorously exacting and severe: stringent measures to suppress disorder.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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strictnessnoun
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superstrictnessnoun
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unstrictnessnoun
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overstrictadjective
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superstrictadjective
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unstrictadjective
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strictlyadverb
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superstrictlyadverb
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unstrictlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of strict
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin strictus, equivalent to strig-, variant stem of stringere “to draw tight” + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
Strict describes someone who sticks to a particular set of rules. If your math teacher is strict, it means that she expects her rules to be followed to the letter. The adjective strict always has to do with rules. Your strict parents enforced rules and expected you to obey them. Your cousin might be a strict vegetarian who always follows her own rules about what to eat. Strict laws demand to be followed, and a strict follower of the First Amendment supports free speech no matter what. The Latin root of strict is strictus, which means "drawn together, tight, or rigid." A rigid adherence to rules is exactly what makes someone strict.
Vocabulary lists containing strict
Tears of a Tiger
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"The War of the Wall" by Toni Cade Bambara
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"Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience"
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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.
See Examples For:
The council’s discussion followed a story Monday in The Times which detailed how LA28 failed to adhere to the strict annual reporting requirements spelled out in the organization’s 2021 contract with the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
He also defended his detectives' decision to give the suspects police bail with "very strict conditions".
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Police said they searched properties in London and ordered the suspects to adhere to strict bail conditions while they continued to investigate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Troops were also deployed to enforce strict Covid‑19 lockdowns in 2020 and during the deadly riots sparked by the jailing of ex‑president Jacob Zuma in 2021.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
The U.S. military, he continued, was going to enforce “a strict quarantine” on Soviet ships headed to Cuba.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
The country’s legislature recently expanded anti-money-laundering laws to impose stricter due diligence requirements and push companies to collect more information on their controlling ownership, among other measures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Other proposals that would have created stricter requirements around the approval process for new storage sites did not advance through the Legislature this session.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Owners of units in condominiums are increasingly struggling to sell because of surprise HOA fees, insurance problems, special assessments and stricter lending standards.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
International students, so-called "visa hoppers" and backpackers will be targeted under stricter rules announced by Australia on Thursday in a bid to curb immigration.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
It was either first names or, in some of the stricter homes, Mr. and Mrs. Somebody or Other.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
Then—and I’m telling you this in strictest confidence—Wiatt’s days are numbered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
California, which has some of the nation’s strictest gun laws, largely prohibits possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school under the Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1995.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
"The circumstances that led to the incident should be thoroughly reviewed, those responsible should be identified, and the strictest possible action should be taken."
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
A trustee actually has the strictest transparency requirement for the beneficiaries.
From MarketWatch ● May 25, 2026
But these debates had all occurred behind closed doors and under the strictest code of confidentiality.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
