meticulous

meticulous — adjective

1. requiring or showing the habit of checking every small point so that nothing is

1.形容詞B2
釋義

requiring or showing the habit of checking every small point so that nothing is missed — for instance, a cook who weighs each ingredient before adding it, or an editor who reads every line of a document aloud to catch any mistake.

例句

Nora is meticulous about keeping her desk organised at all times.

meticulous about + [gerund]

The art teacher kept a meticulous record of each student's progress.

meticulous + record (noun collocation)

同義詞
  • careful

    The most general term; less intense than meticulous. Suggests avoiding mistakes rather than catching every tiny detail.

  • thorough

    Focuses on completing all the necessary steps. Meticulous adds the sense of extreme precision.

  • precise

    Emphasises exactness and accuracy, especially in measurement or language. Meticulous includes the behavioural habit of being careful.

  • fastidious

    Often negative or critical — suggests someone is fussy or hard to please. Meticulous is neutral or positive.

  • punctilious

    Very formal; refers to strict attention to rules, etiquette, or correct behaviour. Meticulous is broader and more common.

反義詞
  • careless

    Lacking attention; the direct opposite in intensity.

  • sloppy

    Informal; suggests messy or rushed work with many errors.

  • negligent

    Legal/formal register; failing to take proper care.

文法句型

meticulous + about + noun/gerund

meticulous + in + noun

meticulous + noun

用法筆記

Often used with nouns related to preparation and detailed work (planning, research, record, preparation, report). Subject is typically a person or an organisation's work.

常見錯誤

❌I am meticulous about eating breakfast every day.
✅I am careful to eat breakfast every day.
💡Meticulous implies extreme attention to detail; routine habits do not fit the word's intensity.
❌She wrote a meticulous letter to her grandmother.
✅She wrote a long, careful letter to her grandmother.
💡Meticulous is for work that involves thorough detail and checking, not just any careful action.
❌He is meticulous with cooking rice.
✅He is meticulous about how he cooks rice, measuring every ingredient precisely.
💡Meticulous requires a context that shows detailed, deliberate effort.