Synonyms

legalistic

British

/ ˌliːɡəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

of, relating to, or exhibiting strict adherence to the law, esp to the letter of the law rather than its spirit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

legalistically adverb

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.

His just-in-time epiphany leads him to do the very thing he has spent his whole career eschewing: substitute a simple calculus of immediate military advantage for legalistic code.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

Some observers question the value of the complex, legalistic talks which almost always over-run.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2025

“On these legalistic issues, this is where you see some of the bigger breaks,” Mora said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2025

So they’re these very technical and legalistic questions: Is this really meant to include the president?

From Slate • Dec. 26, 2023

Don’t be picky or legalistic as to where its paw actually landed.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023