prude
Easily scandalized person
A prude is someone excessively concerned with propriety, especially regarding sex.
The word carries disapproval—it suggests the person's modesty is performative or excessive rather than genuine: Don't be such a prude.
Prudish describes this quality.
The related prudery names the attitude itself.
Excessively proper and strict
- VictorianOf a prim era
- priggishSmugly self-righteous
- primAffectedly proper and stiff
- stuffyLacking fresh air
uptight · old-fashioned · proper · stiff · Puritan · bluenose · wowser · Comstock
Overly cautious traditionalist
- fuddy-duddyOld-fashioned, overly fussy person
- goody-two-shoesSmugly well-behaved person
- goody-goodyAffectedly moral person
- wet blanketOne who discourages others
spoilsport · party-pooper · stuffed shirt · old maid · bluenose · wowser · priss
Smugly certain of correctness
- sanctimoniousFeigning moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
- moralisticProne to lecturing others
- censoriousSeverely critical in judgment
preachy · condescending · disapproving · critical · hypocritical · finger-wagging · scornful · contemptuous
Modestly reserved in manner
- modestLacking in pretension
- shyReserved and retiring
- bashfulUncomfortably self-conscious
- coyAffectedly modest
retiring · timid · reticent · unassuming · restrained · discreet · meek · diffident
Absence of carnal experience
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- purityUncontaminated quality
- chastityAbstaining from sexual activity
virtue · continence · self-denial · temperance · modesty · restraint · innocence · decency
strait-laced
Excessively proper and strict
stuffy · uptight · old-fashioned · proper · stiff · Puritan · bluenose · wowser · Comstock · killjoy
stick-in-the-mud
Overly cautious traditionalist
- fuddy-duddyOld-fashioned, overly fussy person
- goody-two-shoesSmugly well-behaved person
- goody-goodyAffectedly moral person
wet blanket · spoilsport · party-pooper · stuffed shirt · old maid · bluenose · wowser · priss
self-righteous
Smugly certain of correctness
- sanctimoniousFeigning moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
- moralisticProne to lecturing others
censorious · preachy · condescending · disapproving · critical · hypocritical · finger-wagging · scornful · contemptuous · disdainful
demure
Modestly reserved in manner
coy · retiring · timid · reticent · unassuming · restrained · discreet · meek · diffident · proper
virginity
Absence of carnal experience
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- purityUncontaminated quality
chastity · virtue · continence · self-denial · temperance · modesty · restraint · innocence · decency · wholesomeness
- judgmental typesmoralist, moralizer, prig, puritan, holier-than-thou
- difficult peopleegomaniac, egotist, nitpicker, drama queen, control freak
- Bowdlerizedcensored, redacted, sanitized, expurgated, cleaned
- curmudgeonscurmudgeon, grouch, grump, crank, sourpuss
- goody two-shoesteacher's pet, suck-up, brown-noser, do-gooder, saint
- grumpsgrouch, grump, curmudgeon, sourpuss, crank
prudelibertine
One lacking moral restraint
slut · lecher · debauchee · wanton · nymphomaniac
prudelibertine
One lacking moral restraint
immoralist · sybarite · hedonist · pleasure-seeker · epicurean
prudenudist
One who forgoes clothes
naturist · exhibitionist · stripper · free spirit · bohemian
- Dear PrudenceAdvice column persona
- Victorian prudery19th-century sexual repression
- financial prudenceCareful management of money
prudent, prudence, imprudent, prudish, imprudence, prudery, prudes, prudishness, imprudently