meticulous

[muh-tik-yuh-luhs] / məˈtɪk yə ləs /

ADJECTIVE

detailed, perfectionist

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accurate cautious conscientious exact fastidious fussy painstaking precise scrupulous strict thorough

STRONG

detail-oriented

WEAK

conscionable crossing the t's dotting the i's heedful microscopic nitpicking particular persnickety picky punctilious punctual stickling

Antonyms

STRONGEST

careless false imprecise inaccurate indefinite inexact negligent questionable thoughtless uncareful uncritical undemanding unscrupulous

WEAK

messy sloppy undetailed

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.

I just had my meticulous records that I'd been keeping.

From BBC • May 31, 2026

The boy’s father, Tomás, is a meticulous cartographer.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

That intensity clearly crosses over, some players highlighting his meticulous attention to detail and work ethic.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

Before Gomez purchased the property six years ago, it underwent a meticulous renovation and is now described as a “private celebrity compound” that “evokes a magical vision of romance, inspiration, and tranquility.”

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

I could almost see her mind working to try to set things right so she could keep going in her meticulous way.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals

Vocabulary lists containing meticulous

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1

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List 2

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