as in puritanical
given to or marked by very conservative standards regarding personal behavior or morals
by the prudish standards of the 19th century, any depiction of the nude was scandalous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prudish
So much so, in fact, that there is now a common misconception that Wimbledon spectators must subscribe to the same all-white dress code–established in the prudish 1800s to mask sweat stains–that applies only to those playing on court.
—
Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 12 July 2024
Jet did not feel the need to present a prudish image of Black people to counteract white stereotypes about their hypersexuality.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 25 June 2024
For a long time, serious literary novels have held off on the question of how to handle menopause with the prudish disgust of a teenager.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 21 June 2024
Informed by the Hayes Code, Hollywood ‘50s genre was often prudish in its sexuality.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for prudish
Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 12 July 2024
Jet did not feel the need to present a prudish image of Black people to counteract white stereotypes about their hypersexuality.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 25 June 2024
For a long time, serious literary novels have held off on the question of how to handle menopause with the prudish disgust of a teenager.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 21 June 2024
Informed by the Hayes Code, Hollywood ‘50s genre was often prudish in its sexuality.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for prudish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prudish
Adjective
-
For Max in particular, his parent’s lifelong humorless severity looks more and more like malevolent delusion under a cloak of puritanical righteousness.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
11 July 2025
-
At a moment when puritanical forces in this country are actively trying to deny Americans the freedom to be themselves, that’s radical enough.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Old leaky underground pipes are causing a crisis The U.K. has some of the oldest water systems in the world, with parts of the network still dating back to the Victorian era.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 July 2025
-
The Fraud by Zadie Smith With her latest novel, Smith uses a Victorian setting to probe the relationship between England and colonial Jamaica.—
Mia Barzilay Freund,
Vogue,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prudish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prudish. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share