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V2 Vocabulary Building Dictionary


ceremonious

adjective

Definition: formal, conforming to tradition, and sometimes overly rigid and polite

Synonyms: punctilious, formal, ceremonial, polite, traditional, conventional

Antonyms: informal, relaxed

Tips: Ceremonious often carries a negative connotation. It tends to indicate an excess of formality than is necessary or practical. Ceremonious is similar to the word sanctimonious. Ceremonious is overly formal and polite, while sanctimonious is overly religious and pious (devoutly religious).

Usage Examples:

The ceremonious behavior of the host made the induction of the new members take much longer than necessary. (overly formal, ceremonial)

The town's 4th of July activities, while usually cheerful and relaxed, became ceremonious and rather overdone. (ceremonial, formal, punctilious)

Rather than confront her coworker about his rudeness, she chose to be rigid and ceremonious when dealing with him, leaving him to wonder what was wrong. (formal, punctilious)

It seems sad when couples act overly ceremonious at their wedding, rather than enjoying the moment and staying relaxed. (formal, ceremonial)


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