stickler
Exactness demands this
A stickler is someone who insists on exactness or adherence to rules in a particular area: a stickler for punctuality, a stickler for grammar.
The word implies inflexibility that others may find annoying, though sticklers themselves usually see their standards as reasonable: My boss is a stickler for proper documentation.
One who criticizes trivial details
- quibblerOne who raises petty objections
- hair-splitterOne obsessing over minutiae
- fusspotOverly particular person
- puristOne demanding strict adherence
literalist · formalist · critic · caviler · hypercritical · overcritical · captious · precisionist
Focused on small elements
- meticulousShowing extreme attention to detail
- fastidiousExcessively attentive to detail
- exactingDemanding great care
- fussyExcessively particular
particular · finicky · nitpicky · persnickety · punctilious · precise · thorough · scrupulous
Strict work supervisor
- enforcerOne who ensures compliance
- martinetHarsh enforcer of discipline
- drillmasterStrict military instructor
- hardlinerStrict policy advocate
strict · demanding · stern · unyielding · authoritarian · rigorous · uncompromising · exacting
Prescribed conduct rules
- etiquetteRules of polite conduct
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- traditionCustom passed through generations
convention · formality · propriety · correctness · standards · guidelines · compliance · adherence
nitpicker
One who criticizes trivial details
- quibblerOne who raises petty objections
- hair-splitterOne obsessing over minutiae
- fusspotOverly particular person
purist · literalist · formalist · critic · caviler · hypercritical · overcritical · captious · precisionist · dogmatist
detail-oriented
Focused on small elements
- meticulousShowing extreme attention to detail
- fastidiousExcessively attentive to detail
- exactingDemanding great care
fussy · particular · finicky · nitpicky · persnickety · punctilious · precise · thorough · scrupulous · conscientious
taskmaster
Strict work supervisor
- enforcerOne who ensures compliance
- martinetHarsh enforcer of discipline
- drillmasterStrict military instructor
hardliner · strict · demanding · stern · unyielding · authoritarian · rigorous · uncompromising · exacting · severe
protocol
Prescribed conduct rules
- etiquetteRules of polite conduct
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
tradition · convention · formality · propriety · correctness · standards · guidelines · compliance · adherence · observance
- difficult peopleegomaniac, egotist, nitpicker, drama queen, control freak
- Rule-followingtoe the line, letter of the law, code, protocol, regulation
- compulsivesperfectionist, obsessive, neurotic, control freak, neat freak
- fussinessfussiness, pickiness, picky, nitpicky, persnickety
- Fussy traitsfussy, nitpicking, finicky, persnickety, pernickety
- hardheadshardhead, mule, bullhead, donkey, hardliner
sticklerslacker
Idle responsibility evader
pushover · scofflaw · free spirit · rebel · nonconformist
sticklernonconformist
Rejects prevailing social standards
rebel · eccentric · maverick · iconoclast · freethinker