perfectionism
noun
Simple meaning
A disposition to feel that anything less than perfect is unacceptable.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
perfehkshuhnihzuhmSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
pɚˈfɛkʃənɪzəm
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A disposition to feel that anything less than perfect is unacceptable
“His perfectionism seemed excessive to his students.”
An unwillingness to settle for anything less than perfection.
philosophy
A belief that spiritual perfection may be achieved during life, or that it should be striven for.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A disposition to feel that anything less than perfect is unacceptable
Used this way, perfectionism is a common word with a mildly favourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“His perfectionism seemed excessive to his students.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Positive and appreciative
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use perfectionism
- “His perfectionism seemed excessive to his students.”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “perfectionism” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.