legalistic

IPA/ˌliːɡəˈlɪstɪk/
KK[lˌɛɡəlˈɪstɪk]IPA/ˌliːɡəˈlɪstɪk/

legalistic — adjective

  • legalisticpositive
  • more legalisticcomparative
  • most legalisticsuperlative

1. tending to follow or apply the exact wording of laws and regulations too strictl

1.形容詞C1
釋義

tending to follow or apply the exact wording of laws and regulations too strictly, often without considering common sense or the spirit of fairness

例句

Sivan's boss rejected the proposal for legalistic reasons, saying one clause used the wrong format.

collocation: legalistic reasons

The judge told the lawyer that his legalistic arguments were wasting the court's time.

collocation: legalistic arguments

同義詞
  • overly technical

    broader in scope; can apply to any field with detailed rules, not just law

  • nitpicking

    informal register; focuses on finding minor faults rather than following rules strictly

  • pedantic

    more about academic or intellectual precision than legal rules specifically

反義詞
  • pragmatic

    focused on practical results and outcomes rather than strict adherence to rules

  • flexible

    willing to adapt or make exceptions when appropriate

文法句型

legalistic + noun (approach, interpretation, argument, rules)

用法筆記

Almost always used critically or disapprovingly. Particularly common in formal writing about contracts, court rulings, bureaucratic procedures, and administrative decisions.

常見錯誤

❖ 'The contract was too legal.' ✅ 'The contract was too legalistic.' — 'legal' is a neutral word meaning 'related to the law', while 'legalistic' expresses criticism of excessive attention to legal details.