straight-laced
Prim and proper
Straight-laced describes someone excessively proper or strict about morals and behavior—prudish, uptight, unwilling to bend rules or tolerate impropriety: Her straight-laced parents disapproved of the movie's language.
The spelling strait-laced, from strait meaning narrow or tight, is the original form, but straight-laced has become equally common.
Excessively strict about morals
- prudishExcessively concerned with propriety
- primAffectedly proper and stiff
- properSocially appropriate
- uptightAnxiously rigid in manner
priggish · Victorian · old-fashioned · conservative · traditional · conventional · moralistic · sanctimonious
Affectedly proper and stiff
- decorousSocially appropriate, dignified
- formalFollowing strict protocol
- reservedRestrained in manner
- restrainedHeld under control
dignified · refined · genteel · polished · correct · respectable · seemly · modest
Unable to bend
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- unbendingRefusing to change position
- strictRigorous, without flexibility
- sternStrict or ship's aft
austere · uncompromising · stringent · rigorous · demanding · exacting · severe · harsh
Orderly, or undiluted
- tidyFree from clutter
- organizedSystematically arranged
- methodicalOrganized and deliberate
- meticulousShowing extreme attention to detail
punctual · disciplined · systematic · precise · pristine · shipshape · trim · well-kept
puritanical
Excessively strict about morals
- prudishExcessively concerned with propriety
- primAffectedly proper and stiff
- properSocially appropriate
uptight · priggish · Victorian · old-fashioned · conservative · traditional · conventional · moralistic · sanctimonious · censorious
prim
Affectedly proper and stiff
restrained · dignified · refined · genteel · polished · correct · respectable · seemly · modest · demure
inflexible
Unable to bend
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- unbendingRefusing to change position
- strictRigorous, without flexibility
stern · austere · uncompromising · stringent · rigorous · demanding · exacting · severe · harsh · authoritarian
neat
Orderly, or undiluted
- tidyFree from clutter
- organizedSystematically arranged
- methodicalOrganized and deliberate
meticulous · punctual · disciplined · systematic · precise · pristine · shipshape · trim · well-kept · groomed
- appearance idiomsall dolled up, dolled up, done up, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines
- conformityconformity, conforming, conform, conformist, conformism
- restrainedrestrained, reserved, subdued, controlled, muted
- goody two-shoesteacher's pet, suck-up, brown-noser, do-gooder, saint
straight-lacedpermissive
Tolerant, lacking strictness
lax · freewheeling · loose · liberal · lenient
straight-lacedhedonistic
Devoted to sensual pursuits
licentious · debauched · dissolute · libertine · decadent
straight-lacedfree-spirited
Uninhibited by social expectations
uninhibited · wild · unrestrained · loose · rebellious