prudish
/prudish/
Definition
Adjective: - Excessively or affectedly proper, modest, or morally strict: Describes a person who is overly concerned with propriety, modesty, or conventional morality, often to the point of being easily shocked by anything considered improper or indecent. It implies a rigid, narrow-minded, or hypocritical attitude towards matters of sex, nudity, or behavior.
Usage and Examples
- General Use:
- My prudish aunt was scandalized by the modern art exhibit.
- He has a prudish attitude towards any discussion of relationships.
- Describing Behavior or Standards:
- The book was banned by the town's prudish council.
- Her prudish upbringing made it difficult for her to adjust to university life.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Cultural/Historical Context: The term often carries a critical or pejorative tone, suggesting that the person's strictness is outdated, exaggerated, or insincere. It is frequently used to critique social or moral conservatism.
- "Prudishness" (Noun Form): The quality or state of being prudish.
- The novel critiques the prudishness of Victorian society.
Variants and Related Words
- Prude (Noun): A person who is excessively concerned with propriety or modesty.
- He was labeled a prude for refusing to watch the comedy.
- Prudery (Noun): Behavior or attitudes characteristic of a prude; prudishness.
- The film broke through barriers of cinematic prudery.
- Strait-laced (Adjective): Excessively strict in manners, morals, or opinions. (A close synonym).
- Prim (Adjective): Stiffly formal and respectable; feeling or showing disapproval of anything regarded as improper.
- Puritanical (Adjective): Practicing or affecting strict religious or moral behavior.
Synonyms
- Prim
- Strait-laced
- Priggish
- Victorian
- Puritanical
- Grundyish (archaic)
Antonyms
- Permissive
- Broad-minded
- Liberated
- Uninhibited
- Worldly
Idioms and Phrases
- None directly formed with "prudish" itself. However, related concepts include:
- To have a bee in one's bonnet about (morality/decency): To be obsessively concerned with a particular idea, often about propriety.
- To be a Mrs. Grundy: To be an extremely prudish person (from the character in Thomas Morton's play Speed the Plough).
Adjective
-
exaggeratedly proper
-
my straitlaced Aunt Anna doesn't approve of my miniskirts
-
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