strict

[ strikt ]

/ strɪkt /

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See synonyms for: strict / stricter / strictest / strictness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, strict·er, strict·est.

characterized by or acting in close conformity to requirements or principles: a strict observance of rituals.

stringent or exacting in or in enforcing rules, requirements, obligations, etc.: strict laws; a strict judge.

closely or rigorously enforced or maintained: strict silence.

exact or precise: a strict statement of facts.

extremely defined or conservative; narrowly or carefully limited: a strict construction of the Constitution.

close, careful, or minute: a strict search.

absolute, perfect, or complete; utmost: told in strict confidence.

stern; severe; austere: strict parents.

Obsolete. drawn tight or close.

OTHER WORDS FOR strict

1 narrow, illiberal, harsh, austere.

4 accurate, scrupulous.

See synonyms for strict on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR strict

1 flexible, lax.

See antonyms for strict on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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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

synonym study for strict

1. 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 WORDS FROM strict

strictness, nouno·ver·strict, adjectivesu·per·strict, adjectivesu·per·strict·ly, adverb

su·per·strict·ness, nounun·strict, adjectiveun·strict·ly, adverbun·strict·ness, noun

Words nearby strict

striation, strick, stricken, Strickland, strickle, strict, striction, strictly, strictly decreasing function, strictly increasing function, stricture

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use strict in a sentence

Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari advocates for a six-week shutdown stricter than state orders back in March.
A second lockdown proposed by Trump would get more support from Americans than one proposed by Biden|Lance Lambert|September 5, 2020|Fortune
In its first official weigh-in on the issue, the group lays out strict scientific criteria that would need to be met before heritable gene editing could be tried clinically.
Strict new guidelines lay out a path to heritable human gene editing|Tina Hesman Saey|September 3, 2020|Science News
I was raised in a Muslim household with quite strict Muslim rules and Islamic rules, and one of them is that we don’t do interest.
Tan France Goes Deep on Racism and When He Almost Quit ‘Queer Eye’|Eugene Robinson|September 3, 2020|Ozy
The Hatch Act of 1939 puts strict limits on federal employees’ ability to participate in electioneering, including a ban on using their “official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.”
The RNC weaponized exhaustion|Zack Beauchamp|August 28, 2020|Vox

This includes designing strict procedures for how a lab should conduct the tests.
Scientists to Wall Street: You don’t really understand how COVID vaccine tests work|Jeremy Kahn|August 24, 2020|Fortune
The ad would then count as a coordinated communication and would be subject to strict spending limits.
Just What We Needed: More Campaign Spending|Mark McKinnon|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
First, it would reduce the kinds of ads that would be subject to strict limits.
Just What We Needed: More Campaign Spending|Mark McKinnon|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
People often forget that the National Panhellenic council used to enforce racial segregation by means of strict codes and laws.
Stepford Sororities: The Pressures of USC’s Greek Life|Maya Richard Craven|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Free from strict rules, Japanese distillers are making innovative, artful concoctions.
Watch Out, Scotland! Japanese Whisky Is on the Rise|Kayleigh Kulp|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But beyond the strict realm of national security, the Arctic is becoming increasingly important to Russia economically.
Russia Preps Its North Pole Invasion|Dave Majumdar|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For these reasons we keep strict and careful watch over them, since the suspicions conceived of them have been often verified.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
In a strict sense, of course, no child's drawing is absolutely spontaneous and independent of external stimulus and guidance.
Children's Ways|James Sully
But it was not necessary for him to enquire how strict, or how apparently long, was to be his confinement.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
How strict a Guard then ought the true Satyrist to set upon his private Passions!
A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope|Colley Cibber
"According to English ideas it seemed strict, of course," the other said persuasively, so that he went on.
Three More John Silence Stories|Algernon Blackwood

British Dictionary definitions for strict

strict

/ (strɪkt) /

adjective

adhering closely to specified rules, ordinances, etca strict faith

complied with or enforced stringently; rigorousa strict code of conduct

severely correct in attention to rules of conduct or moralitya strict teacher

(of a punishment, etc) harsh; severe

(prenominal) complete; absolutein strict secrecy

logic maths (of a relation)

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 identicalSee also proper (def. 9), ordering
distinguished from a relation of the same name that is not the subject of formal study

botany rare very straight, narrow, and uprightstrict panicles

Derived forms of strict

strictly, adverbstrictness, noun

Word Origin for strict

C16: from Latin strictus, from stringere to draw tight

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

strict

OTHER WORDS FOR strict

OPPOSITES FOR strict

Origin of strict

synonym study for strict

OTHER WORDS FROM strict

Words nearby strict

Words related to strict

How to use strict in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for strict

Derived forms of strict

Word Origin for strict