perfectionism
noun
per·fec·tion·ism
pər-ˈfek-shə-ˌni-zəm 
1
a
: the doctrine that the perfection of moral character constitutes a person's highest good
b
: the theological doctrine that a state of freedom from sin is attainable on earth
2
: a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable
Examples of perfectionism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By then, however, Bouley’s sense of perfectionism sometimes meant long waits between courses, causing titanic battles between him and Nieporent, with Bouley exiting to open his own namesake restaurant nearby in 1987.
—
John Mariani, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
Signs of low confidence at work include downplaying your achievements, perfectionism, negative self-talk, and a fear of making mistakes.
—Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Nov. 2023
Overemphasizes perfectionism, leading to anxiety and dissatisfaction.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024
My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment, a place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2024
The singer-songwriter, who’s famously spoken about her perfectionism in creating music, has been careful to release new projects and singles throughout her career.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
But when perfectionism was motivated by fear of criticism from others, performance suffered.
—Tom Siegfried, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024
As each Sea Mink-ette’s instinct for self-preservation vies with perfectionism and a reluctance to let her teammates down, vulnerabilities register, tensions surge and the everyday world shows its seams.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2024
This can appear as perfectionism, people-pleasing, care-taking, overthinking and self-criticism.
—Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
John Mariani, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
Signs of low confidence at work include downplaying your achievements, perfectionism, negative self-talk, and a fear of making mistakes.
—Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Nov. 2023
Overemphasizes perfectionism, leading to anxiety and dissatisfaction.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024
My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment, a place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2024
The singer-songwriter, who’s famously spoken about her perfectionism in creating music, has been careful to release new projects and singles throughout her career.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
But when perfectionism was motivated by fear of criticism from others, performance suffered.
—Tom Siegfried, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024
As each Sea Mink-ette’s instinct for self-preservation vies with perfectionism and a reluctance to let her teammates down, vulnerabilities register, tensions surge and the everyday world shows its seams.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2024
This can appear as perfectionism, people-pleasing, care-taking, overthinking and self-criticism.
—Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perfectionism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near perfectionism
Cite this Entry
“Perfectionism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfectionism. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
perfectionism
noun
per·fec·tion·ism
pər-ˈfek-shə-ˌniz-əm
: a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable
especially
: the setting of unrealistically demanding goals accompanied by a disposition to regard failure to achieve them as unacceptable and a sign of personal worthlessness
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